It was a year ago that Anne told me about her plan to start her own company. She positively lit up when she talked about it, so when I saw her last week, I was eager to ask about her progress.

“Well… we’re trying to sell the house right now, and of course find a new place to live, which means we’re knee-deep in paperwork and extra tasks right now….” She trailed off. “But when all that’s behind us, then I’ll have time to start the business.”

“Oh,” I replied. “And when do you think that will be?”

She looked at me with a blank face. “Well… the market’s just awful right now, so who knows how long our house will take to sell….”

The longer I listened to her, the more I realized that in her mind, her circumstances and fears had grown larger than her dream. Her own business had moved so far back in her list of priorities that it was nearly out of reach.

Sounds familiar? Do you let circumstances, finances and possessions dictate your life? If you think you might, don’t feel bad. Many people do the very same thing.

Stop waiting for the “perfect time” to do what you really want to do. It’s time to give your dreams a higher ranking on your list of priorities.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the dream that you keep pushing back?
2. What BUTs and other circumstances are “stopping you”?
3. What two steps could you take immediately to bring you closer to your dream?
4. What can you do to stay in touch with your dream daily?