We all have dreams, don’t we? One of mine, which has taken almost a decade to realize, has recently come to fruition. My office area was transformed from a crazy hodgepodge of furniture into a beautifully designed space created and organized just for me.

Guess what? It didn’t happen quickly or on its own. I needed lots of help along the way. It was a learning process that involved patience, persistence, creativity, and other people. To all the fellow goal chasers and dream seekers, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Which “help” tips resonate with you? Who and what has helped you in pursuit of your dreams? Some things helped me. Read on and then join our conversation.

Dreams Need Help – 8 Tips

1. Dream Help

Having someone to support, expand, mull over, and tweak your dream is essential. We all need at least one dream buddy to share our journey with. My dreaming partner was my wonderful husband, Steve. He encouraged me to own the dream and not limit my thinking.

2. Letting Go Help

In preparation for my new space, I needed to review and edit my office contents. Letting go of some physical items was part of this process. As a professional organizer, I’m good at asking others those classic letting go questions like, “Do you want it?” or “When was the last time you used it?” or “Is it worth the real estate, energy, and maintenance?” However, I found it helpful when someone else (such as my husband or daughter) posed the questions to me. Hearing the questions out loud by an objective person helped me be more decisive and enabled me to let go of the unessential.

3. Design Help

Putting specifics to my dream meant I first needed to understand how I wanted my office space to look and feel. Words at the top of the list included purple, sparkly, organized, happy, fun, spacious, and calm.

For visual inspiration, I perused my Pinterest boards (mainly Oh, So Luscious Color!, Oh, So Colorful Spaces!, and Oh, So Organized Office!). My husband listened to my ideas, incorporated them into the design, made the best use of the space, created lovely three-dimensional drawings, and helped me select materials and colors.

When everything was installed, the family agreed it was truly a “Linda space.”

4. Heavy Lifting Help

Some dreams require brawn. Mine sure did. I needed physical help with manufacturing, disassembling my office, moving furniture, and installing the new cabinets and countertop. I could not have done this without the muscle team who included Steve, Nick, Allison, and some talented vendors. Thank you.

5. Patience Help

Patience was mostly an inside job. I had to help myself or rather, remind myself that all things worth doing, take time. They will and can get done, but adjustments for when they happen will be necessary. It’s the when that can be most trying when pursuing a dream.

6. Discomfort Help

I’m not proud to admit this, but I was extremely out of sorts during the twelve days we had to disassemble my office and temporarily relocate it to the living room. This gave me an entirely new appreciation of what my clients experience regularly. It feels terrible when our environment doesn’t support us.

My living and working areas were in disarray, which made it extremely challenging to function and focus. Fortunately, my family was there to help me navigate being uncomfortable by encouraging a positive perspective and keeping me focused on the goal. My husband gently reminded me, “The chaos will only last a short while.” My daughter, Allison, used a different yet equally effective approach. She said, “Mom, change and chaos are good for you.”

7. Organizing Help

It was joyful being my own client and organizing my new space. Before organizing “stuff” back into the office, I appreciated the emptiness of the space. I felt calm seeing the uncluttered surfaces that had almost no visual noise. As I put things away, I was selective about what deserved a “home.”

Only what I loved and used most returned. I’m still deciding the fate of the many small toys (imagine a miniature Mr. Potato Head or glitter-covered Eifel Tower) that have always been part of my office decor. A few toys have returned. Before more come back, I’m waiting to see how the space feels with less.

8. Cheerleading Help

Family and friends provided lots of encouragement along the way. The high fives, ooohs, ahhs, and “It’s going to be great!” helped me to stay vision-focused and excited. When it was time to select cabinet knobs, I created a quick survey on Facebook. People weighed in on their favorite knob option. The feedback was wonderful. I am grateful for the many cheerleaders along the way. Special heartfelt thanks to Steve, Allison, Cassie, Mom, Yota, Peggy, and Elisa for their extra enthusiasm and support.

My space is no longer just an office. It’s now a well-designed place for possibilities, creativity, problem solving, thinking, planning, writing, teaching, communicating, and being. Thank you to all those that helped nurture and encourage my dream.

What has your experience been when pursuing a dream? Did you go it alone? Did you enlist help from others? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Do you have a hard time asking for help? Especially for those who are more accustomed to giving than receiving, enlisting help can be particularly challenging. I was curious what my colleagues in various helping professions thought about this idea. I asked Sue West, Kim Oser, Geralin Thomas, Ellen Delap, Andrea Sharb, Helena Alkhas, and Yota Schneider, “What was a benefit you received when you recently enlisted help?” While their responses ranged from general to specific, in each case, the benefit they got was a welcome and unexpected surprise. Their enlisting help discoveries are inspiring and encouraging. My gratitude goes to each of them for making time to reflect and share.

What was a benefit you received when you recently enlisted help? . . .

 Great Collaboration

“Asking for help meant that I couldn’t do it all, yet I wanted to! Time and again, I‘ve been proven wrong. Earlier this year, I was talking with a colleague about wanting to create a time management workshop, but with a different perspective. I was stuck. I was asking for advice, and instead, I got so much more. We created the program together and in record time. We learned from and used respective strengths, e.g., networking for workshop hosts or operational details. For workshop participants, the content was richer, and our interaction brought greater engagement. One question and look at all that’s happened! Yet again!” 

Sue West, COC®, CPO-CD® – Certified Organizer Coach & Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization

Great Support

“It is so easy to take everything on ourselves but it is not always the best solution. We often get tripped up by our fears and go nowhere. I recently was looking to start using an unfamiliar social media resource. I did some research and then contacted a colleague whose success with this resource I admired. I not only learned ways to use it but her help knocked down the fear and enabled me dive in. It is amazing how much easier life can be and how you can achieve greater success when you just reach out for a little help.”

Kim Oser, CPO® – Certified Professional Organizer, Productivity Coach & Blogger

Great Expertise

“Recently, I was contemplating a client-discount for large blocks of time booked with a team of subcontractors. I asked my accountant for ideas on how to approach this and make it a win-win-win for me (the owner of the company), the client, and the sub-contractor.  She immediately did the math and delivered the bottom line:  if/when I discount clients, my subcontractor's percentage of earnings increases while mine decreases unless the sub-contractor decreases her rate as well. That is extremely useful knowledge to have when planning projects, budgets and team members' rates.”

Geralin Thomas, CPO-CD® – Instructor & Consultant for New Professional Organizers

Great Partnerships

“Asking for help has always been natural to me with my team player attitude. When you ask for help, you are signaling to others that it’s not only okay to ask, but everyone’s work and life are all the better for it. Others respond and also ask for help as well. Professionally I ask for help in tasks that I am less familiar with, such as technology or software use. I like to be very specific about what help I need and create a timeline that will work for everyone. This strategy has created great partnerships.”

Ellen Delap, CPO®  – Certified Professional Organizer & Family Manager & Productivity Consultant

Great Accountability

“I’ve been considering offering a group coaching course for ADHD adults for well over a year. I even have a number of individuals interested in participating. I noticed recently that I was having trouble moving past the conceptualization phase. I therefore enlisted the help of a fellow coach who I thought would share my enthusiasm for creating and offering this course. The benefit of asking for help in this situation is accountability. Working with someone else and breaking down and assigning tasks needed to get the course rolling is helping me move beyond conceptualization and into realization.”

Andrea Sharb, ACC, CPO-CD®, COC, CPO® – Professional Organizer & Certified Coach 

Great Savings

“From the babysitter to the graphic designer I have learned the hard way not to try to do it all. While I'd love to take care of things myself, I realized that I was spending more energy, time and money when I didn't enlist help. I finally listed all the activities that would cost me more, both personally and in my business, if I didn't delegate or outsource. Now, I keep a list of resources (free & paid) that I go to on a regular basis. I am more focused, more productive and more relaxed. My favorite help is the grocery delivery service.”

Helena Alkhas – Professional Organizer & Social Media Virtual Assistant

Great Solace

“I was raised to be self-reliant to a fault. Through life experience, I had to learn the art of asking and receiving. My most recent experience of asking for help was last October when my father was suddenly hospitalized. I traveled to Greece to be with him. He declined within three days of my arrival. I found myself in a decision making position that I wasn't completely prepared for. I had to find the fine balance between asking for what I needed without becoming a burden. I gave up expectations and allowed people to help in small ways that were easy for them but made a huge difference to me. Looking back, I know that it was because of this network of "helping angels" that I was able to maintain my focus, stay centered, and see my Dad through his final journey. I feel blessed and grateful.”

Yota Schneider, Seasons of Change Certified Master Coach – Life Transitions Coach, Workshops & Retreat Facilitator, Blogger, & Mindfulness Meditation Practitioner

Enlisting help is the topic we’ll focus on this month. I love how the stories shared by my colleagues are a great way to begin our dialogue. What resonated with you? Do you easily ask for help or do you tend to do everything yourself? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation and share your thoughts about enlisting help successes, challenges, and ideas.

Have you ever experienced a surge in motivation when a deadline is looming? Sometimes we purposely wait until the last minute to finish (or start) projects because we need or want that adrenaline boost.

Each of us functions differently. Usually, my personal pattern and preference is to work regularly over an extended period of time and not feel rushed to complete things. I realize this isn’t always possible or desirable.

With two of my recent projects, motivation and deadlines influenced the process. One project was preparing for my first ICD board meeting as President-Elect. It involved reading several books, reports, and documents, completing forms, having several phone conversations, and reading and responding to emails. Even though I paced myself, some of the work ended up being completed close to the deadline. Delaying completion of last few items gave me the energy push that I needed.

My other project, the redesign of my office area, has been a long process. There has been dreaming, planning, sketching, discussing, and manufacturing. Finally, after many months, the installation will be soon (as in this week!) Months ago, I went through my files and drawers. I let go of things I no longer wanted, so that I’d be ready to reorganize what I did want when my new space was ready.

The next step was more challenging to complete. This involved emptying the drawers, surfaces, and space. I wanted the change, but not the discomfort and disruption that the transition would bring.

So I told myself, “Change is positive. Discomfort is temporary.” Last night my motivation kicked in. I boxed up my desk contents. In the process, I edited and released more things. With my positive focus, visions of “done” and working in a beautiful, organized workspace motivated me to forward.

How do deadlines influence your motivation? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

Leslie Josel

Leslie Josel "Ask the Expert" interview about MotivationThe popular “Ask the Expert” interview series connects you with industry thought leaders. This year we’ve spoken with David Allen about time management, Peter Walsh about clutter, Sheila Delson about letting go, Laura Berman Fortgang about next steps, Judith Kolberg about change, and Sue West about fresh starts. This month I’m excited to bring you a trailblazer in the professional organizing industry, Leslie Josel, to share her insights and wisdom about motivation.

Leslie and I have been friends and colleagues for almost 10 years. We met through the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD). Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with Leslie on several projects in addition to having time to just socialize with her. She has tremendous energy, drive, compassion, and a fabulous sense of humor. What can I say? She’s savvy and a lot of fun to be with. My deepest gratitude goes to Leslie for taking the time to join us. Before we begin, here’s more about her.

Leslie Josel is the Principal of Order Out of Chaos, an organizing consulting firm specializing in student organizing and chronic disorganization. She is a member of NAPO and holds her ADHD and Hoarding Specialist certifications from the ICD as well as her ADHD coaching certification from JST coach training.  Leslie is known as a respected resource on ADHD and Executive Functioning in students and has been featured in national broadcast and print media on these subjects. She also speaks nationally to parent and educator groups on a variety of issues and topics facing students today. Leslie is the creator of the award winning Academic Planner: A Tool for Time Management(a student planner that helps teach students time management). She is also co-author of The Complete Diabetes Organizer, being released later this year. You can connect with Leslie on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, blog or website.

Linda Samuels:  What motivates people to move forward when they are feeling overwhelmed?

Leslie Josel:  That's a tough one as each individual comes to motivation with their own set of unique obstacles and drive. But I like to work with my clients to help them understand that motivation can be to some degree needless.  Believing we have to "feel" like doing something in order to actually do it can lead to not getting anything done.  Sometimes if we simply just begin, we can become motivated as the task is in action.

Linda:  What suggestions do you have for sustaining motivation when you encounter setbacks towards your goals?

Leslie:Most would say picture the end result. "See" yourself where you want to be. For most (including me), I like to reflect on where I've been. Seeing how far I might have gotten or even staying still (no backsliding) is very powerful in putting me back on track.

Linda:  What are your favorite techniques for getting motivated?

Leslie:  Some of my favorite techniques for staying motivated are doing the hardest or longest task first, constantly building in rewards, faking urgency (creating deadlines), working at my "peak" energy times, and setting timers.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal motivation challenge?

Leslie:  My biggest personal motivation challenge is to exercise more. I've tried it all – classes, equipment in my home, making appointments with myself – all of it. You name it; I have tried it. Buddying up is the only thing I have found to work. Accountability is key! And having someone literally pick me up at my house!

Linda:  What is your most surprising discovery about motivation?

Leslie:  My most surprising discovery about motivation is how motivating fear can be. Fear can be paralyzing for some and highly motivating for others. I know that fear is what propels me forward. To some degree it is probably insecurity or self doubt of some kind. “Do I know enough? Have I done enough homework? Will others find me knowledgeable and my content useful?  What will happen if I don’t…?”  All of those questions are what keeps me going. However, for others that same feeling can be completely paralyzing. In fact, in a lot of my clients fear is the first obstacle we work on to get unstuck.

Linda:  What else would you like to add?

Leslie:  I try to strip the layers away when working on motivation techniques.  The build up or anticipation is usually worse than the task or situation itself.  So when I get hit with the “I don't want to,” I flip it upside down and say don't do it because you have to; do it because you can. I am a huge believer in good enough. I believe you need to create energy around your tasks to sustain motivation and to that point environment is key. Surround yourself in an environment that will provide a state of high enthusiasm to create motivation. Kind of like a natural caffeine boost!

Thank you, Leslie for sharing your thoughts about motivation. Your no nonsense, practical approach is Oh, So Leslie! There are so many valuable nuggets here. In particular, I appreciate the useful perspective of removing the “don’t want to” and replacing it with “because you can.” That’s a powerful strategy as it distances us from our negative feelings and refocuses us on the doing.

I invite you to join Leslie and me as we continue the conversation. We’d love to hear your thoughts about motivation. What resonates with you? What are your recent motivation challenges and strategies?