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Dare to Dream?
and what are you doing about it?
Patrice Gordon
January 19, 2025
This week, I want to remind you of the power we have to shift our thinking almost instantly—because sometimes that's all it takes to unlock the next level of your life.
Witnessing Dreams in Action
On Tuesday, I had the privilege (and yes, it truly felt like a privilege) of attending my first Virgin StartUp event with the one and only Simon Squibb. This week, he launched his new book, aptly titled What’s Your Dream? —and if you haven’t heard of Simon before, he’s the guy who literally stops strangers on the street to ask them that very question: “What’s your dream?” ✨
I mean, how refreshing is that?! Society often conditions us to “stop dreaming and be realistic,” but the moment you give yourself permission to dream—and to ask for a bit of help—magic happens. Some folks only need a nudge to break through their fear; others just need resources to get started. Either way, there’s loads of support out there, from Virgin StartUp to individuals like Simon Squibb who shares his top business secrets for free.
Living My Own Dream
I’m working remotely, building my business, and taking Latin dance lessons—a dream that’s been on my bucket list for eight years. A week before Christmas, whilst completing my annual compass plan, I found myself writing “Dance my way around Colombia/South America” on my goals list for the fourth year in a row. Then this loud voice inside me goaded me and said: “Are you really going to write this again and NOT do it?”
So, I decided there and then to block out two weeks in January. By New Year’s, I’d booked my ticket to Miami (with the rest of my itinerary still very fluid). I told my friends and family, they knew it was coming but they were surprised at the speed and also a little worried about me flying solo. Whilst I travel all the time, this is my first solo, solo trip -not knowing ANYONE on the other side is a little daunting. If you know me, you’ll know I’m a bit of a planner—and heading off in less than a month with no solid schedule was… well, so unlike me! But I realised that my obsession with having everything perfectly planned was actually holding me back.
This year, I’m determined to embrace more FLOW—less overthinking, more going with it. And you know what? ✈️ The pieces that needed to fall into place, have fallen into place. I prepared as much as I could (I was on a 690-day Spanish Duolingo streak, plus a few months of dance lessons in London—¡hola, Salsa, Cha Cha & Rumba💃), and then I just went for it and here I am.
There’s something about the spirit of South America—its freedom, its joy, its grounding sense of presence—that has always fascinated me, and it’s every bit as wonderful as I’d hoped.
The Beautiful City of Medellin
I realised this week just how much support is actually out there. Sometimes, it’s tempting to claim something’s “too hard,” but the simple truth is that every day, we each choose our own version of “hard.” Remember: dreaming is free, yet staying stuck can be incredibly costly in terms of regret.
A few things to ignite the flame of potential
Join the Virgin StartUp Community for free
Simon’s new venture Help Bank and doorbell is now installed in the Virgin Hotel in Shoreditch - join the queue!
Go on YouTube -there is literally EVERYTHING on there - what are you waiting for??
We often believe we need everything planned to perfection before taking action, when in reality, all we need is to take that first step.
So, my invitation to you this week is:
What’s one thing you can do right now to move even a tiny bit closer to your dream?
Will you share it with me? I’d love to hear!
Until next time—keep dancing to the rhythm of your dreams and remember that your tomorrow depends on the steps you take today.
Baile, Pray & Love from Colombia
Parting Question: “When did you stop daring to dream?”
🎯 National Mentoring Month: University of Wolverhampton Case Study
I have been working with the team for a while to bring this case study to life. I love to highlight examples of how to do Reverse Mentoring well and the University of Wolverhampton really got this right. I am looking forward to continuing to follow their journey.
#Leadership #ReverseMentoring #InclusionMatters #ThatsMe