Today we have a story from Andrea, who, through a chance encounter (or perhaps not) in Croydon has begun a journey to realise her vision of opening a Junior Football Academy. Her passion to help kids receive the right foundation in life is one we share at Lighthouse so we thank her for her story and look forward to supporting her to fulfil her ambitions.
As you read have a think about the following questions and check out the lessons at the end for more:
- Is there a goal that you want to achieve that you may be struggling to believe in truly happening?
- What one thing would you need to achieve it and what would it feel like to accomplish your goal?
Realising My Dream to Build a Football Academy – Andrea Joseph
“Recently I opened my sketchbook with great pride as more ideas suddenly flourished. These ideas were to fulfil my dream of opening my own football academy.
I have always been passionate about my dream and I walked around with the belief of making it one day, although in the back of my head I had doubts as to how I was ever going to put my plan into action! It was about a year ago when I was walking around Croydon town centre that I was approached by my mentor, Kris.
He was out there trying to promote Lighthouse Kidz to the general public. Normally I make up an excuse to pass by but I stopped and talked to him. He spoke with great enthusiasm about the aim of the organisation and although I was not looking to just donate to another good cause, I expressed my interest to be volunteering or working with an organisation to focus on tomorrow’s future.
I met with Kris a few times and, before I knew it, I was telling him about my great passion for football and the dream of opening my academy. But I was stuck. I could not visualise my journey to achieve this dream and this is when Kris introduced me to the Wants and Needs Gap Assessment & Analysis. Not only was I provided with frequent support from my mentor; I was also provided with links to read other people’s stories. I felt empowered.
A door was opened for me to give an understanding of how to identify my gaps. One of the most useful lessons I have learnt to date is the importance of networking. I am still in the processes of completing the assessment, however, I already feel that I am learning a lot of important steps in life that are not just going to help me to achieve my goals, but I can also take them away and use them in my personal life, or even share with friends and family.
The dream is to open an academy but the ultimate reward would be to ensure that all the kids attending it are provided with, not just the skills to become good at what they love, but also to provide discipline, support and guidance.
I have slowly been able to visualise my dream.”
Andrea
Defining Andrea’s Breakthrough Lessons
By Kris Deichler, Associate Partner, Mentor & Coach, Lighthouse International
1. Assessment Lessons Apply Throughout All Areas of Our Lives
Whether we start to see how much we struggle to find the time we need, notice ourselves procrastinating, learn how we can improve and structure our thinking, make realisations about how we see ourselves, or avoid certain types of questions – there’s a lot this process is revealing for many. What’s great is we can share these lessons with others and start to pass on that benefit too.
As Andrea has realised the clearer we get on our wants and needs and the gaps we discover through undertaking this assessment – the pieces of knowledge and wisdom we pick up and the different ways in which we approach this are teaching us things that apply to many areas of our lives. The assessment isn’t just about answering questions, it’s about discovering more about ourselves and how we work. What have you learned through doing your assessment that is helping you in your day-to-day life?
2. Networking With the Right People Is Key!
As Andrea shares, it’s having the right people around her and making use of them that has helped to spur her on into believing more in her dream and her ability to make it happen. Whether that’s been through receiving mentorship, realising the need to build the right network after discovering her gaps, or simply the reassurance that she’s not alone – that many other people are working on their dreams through the assessment and facing the same challenges she is. It’s when we think we need to do things by ourselves, without like-minded and like-hearted people advising and supporting us as well as giving moral support, that our dreams can seem much further away.
I know it’s been in chats Andrea and I have had since she started the assessment that she’s been able to start seeing much more value in this process than she had done alone. When I then asked her if she would like to do her own Breakthrough piece for us, she was very eager because of the value she’s been receiving from others sharing their stories recently.
Would you like more support to build the right network, funding and resources around you to achieve your goals in life? If so, just register to speak to a mentor on this page or get in touch with your Lighthouse Introducer.
Breakthrough image courtesy of Branewbs @ Flikr
