Mary Elizabeth Murphy "Being a leader is not about being more powerful. It's about making people around you more powerful." Betty Linton

Have you ever felt like life has been moving at the rate of a high-speed train and you’re about to be side-railed? What do you do when life has veered off track, or when you feel that you don’t have the stamina to make it over the mountain top?

Have things suffered, such as that proverbial to-do list that keeps on growing but that you haven’t touched in eons? This list expands beyond the typical household chores and weekly errands. It includes big goals and resolutions such as running a marathon, starting your own business, making a career change or planning a home improvement project.

Does the thought of this list make you cringe, mainly because very few (if any) items have been checked off this past year? Talk about adding more stress to your life!

Benjamin Franklin once said,

“You may delay, but time will not.”

Don’t let another year slip by. Start making changes in your life now. Just think how much better you’ll feel at the end of 2005 by pursuing your dreams now.

First, you have to build your “dream” team of like-minded individuals. You’re like “The Little Engine That Could,” and you need a team of toys and other engines to help push you over the mountaintop. Identify a network of women and men who believe in you and your abilities, and are willing to support you with structure. Your team may or may not consist of your family and closest friends. However, if your family and friends are dream supporters and not dream killers, then include them on your team.

What qualities do you need on your team? Your team should include individuals with the following five traits:

Does a train make its journey without a map or a schedule? With your key life goals, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open with your team and to have a plan. Consider the following:

Before you move forward on your journey, here are a few tips to prevent you from getting side railed along the way:

Barbara Sher, best-selling author of Wishcraft and I Could Do Anything if I Only Knew What It Was, says “isolation is the dream killer.” Bottom line: build your support team before you starting pursuing your goals.

Remember, you are the engine and you have the ability and strength to start pursuing some of your key goals. Just keep telling yourself, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” By the end of the year, you’ll be saying, “I knew I could. I knew I could. I knew I could.”