Dream Year, created and coached by Ben Arment, leads 24 people through a process to achieve one God-given Dream in one year.
Overview
Each year, a group of audacious people goes through a process to achieve a larger than life dream in one year. The participants include everyone from filmmakers and advocates to entrepreneurs and authors. No dream is too big, and no idea is too far-fetched.
The journey is called Dream Year.
There are two ways you can be a part of it: Weekend retreats hosted in various cities where you can get a crash course in Dream Year and connect with other leaders. And one-on-one coaching limited to a community of 12 people. Let the journey begin.
Process
- January
- Authenticating your dream (tracing its history, assessing your readiness, testing the idea, defining a clear project, raising your capacity, preparing for risk)
- February
- Building your platform (moving from beggar to influencer, finding your audience, trading value for information, becoming an expert in your field)
- March
- Defining your values (determining what you won't do, then determining what you will do, on the subject of excellence, building a team to bring your idea to life)
- April
- Funding your dream (great ideas are spreadsheets with skin on, identifying revenue sources, shaping your strategy, cash flow is everything, the art of making the ask)
- May
- Branding your dream (developing a total user experience, a field guide to designers, developing a creative class around you, design as the foundation for what you do)
- June
- Creating milestones (working backward from the goal, productivity tools, the sacrificial substitution principle, the order of action)
- July
- Leveraging influence (if you don't have influence you borrow it, if you already have influence you still borrow it, creating social movements around your idea, networking with leaders who matter)
- August
- Developing partnerships (creating win-wins, the art of negotiation, rooting out great partnerships, angles of benefit, value exchanges, approaching partners)
- September
- Rainmaking (sales for people who hate sales, how to put yourself out there without losing dignity, systems that produce revenue, closing deals, invoicing, merchant gateways)
- October
- Shaping an organization (organizational systems, proprietary versus outsourced, contractors versus employees, legal issues, how to make your idea your living, etc.)
- November
- Positioning yourself (navigating the world of media, agents, publishers, and conference makers, marketing in an over-saturated field, differentiation)
- December
- Sustaining your dream, last-month epiphanies, unresolved issues, feedback and last minute-ideas, charting the future connectivity of the class of 2012
Stories
- My name is
- Aaron Van Ruler
- I live in
- Orlando, Florida
- And my Dream is to
- Launch a web firm for campus ministries
- My name is
- Benjamin Nockels
- I live in
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- And my Dream is to
- Place 3500 foster kids in OKC in Christian homes
- My name is
- Chris McAlister
- I live in
- Pataskala, Ohio
- And my Dream is to
- Start a wholeness ministry for church leaders
- My name is
- David Simon
- I live in
- Washington, D.C.
- And my Dream is to
- Start a business that fuels ministry on Capitol Hill
- My name is
- James Matthews
- I live in
- India
- And my Dream is to
- Launch a global movement called Sacred Revolution
- My name is
- Janet Oberholtzer
- I live in
- Mohnton, Pennsylvania
- And my Dream is to
- Write and publish a book of personal tragedy
- My name is
- Jason Jeong
- I live in
- Duluth, Georgia
- And my Dream is to
- Launch an �Action Tank� called Orphan Epidemic
- My name is
- Josh Brickey
- I live in
- Columbia, South Carolina
- And my Dream is to
- Launch a community of faith called The Venue.
- My name is
- Kate Schmidgall
- I live in
- Washington, D.C.
- And my Dream is to
- Launch a cause-based magazine called Bittersweet
- My name is
- Marty Holman
- I live in
- Holden, Massachusetts
- And my Dream is to
- Launch a church-based coffeehouse for the community
- My name is
- Matt Bortmess
- I live in
- Rochester, Illinois
- And my Dream is to
- Launch a graphic design agency for ministries
- My name is
- Paul Stewart
- I live in
- Des Moines, Iowa
- And my Dream is to
- Launch a church-based cultural center in Des Moines
- My name is
- Ryan Nelson
- I live in
- Olathe, Kansas
- And my Dream is to
- Launch multiplying, groups-based 33 Church
- My name is
- Sam Duregger
- I live in
- Pella, Iowa
- And my Dream is to
- Write and publish my first book
Answers
- Are scholarships available?
-
No, but we've created Dream Year weekends with a low price point so you can learn the process and connect with other dreamers at a fraction of the cost of personal coaching.
- Will I be able to interact with other participants?
-
Yes, you'll get to interact with other dreamers in both the personal coaching and weekend retreats. These will become friends for life.
- What kinds of projects are you looking for?
-
We're looking for a measurable initiative that has not been started yet. This is not the best fit for long-running organizations or projects. This dream needs to belong to you, not your boss or your spouse.
- Are there in-person meetings with Ben Arment?
-
Yes, Ben conducts all of the personal coaching and leads the weekend retreats.
- What if I don't know my dream?
-
Dream Year is meant to help people clarify and then execute their dreams. If you don't know it, we'll help you figure it out. However the Subscription program or Weekends are best.
- What if I live outside the US?
-
No problem. Dream Year is an international program. We've had participants in Canada, India, and Japan.
- When will I know if I'm accepted?
-
You'll hear from us by December 30, 2012 at the latest.
Weekends
Join Ben Arment for a weekend Dream Year retreat in Virginia Beach, VA on January 25-27, 2012. You'll experience a three-day, intensive retreat that covers much of the content of Dream Year. You'll get to collaborate with other dreamers and get personal feedback on your particular dream. Whether you don't know what your dream is and need clarity or you're certain of what it is and need to know the next steps, Dream Year weekend is right for you. Visit www.dreamyear.eventbrite.com
Personal Coaching
The personal coaching process starts in January and is limited to just 12 participants in 2013. The cost of the program is outlined in the application process but is approximately $1,000 per quarter. We're currently accepting applications for 12 personal coaching spots in 2013. Applications must be received by Friday, December 7, 2012. You will be notified of the outcome by December 31. To apply, click here.
The Program Includes:
- Access to an online community of dreamers for collaboration
- Access to the weekly Subscription program
- 40 minute phone call with Dream Year creator Ben Arment each month
- A personalized plan for executing your dream with milestone tools
- Encouraging accountability and goal-setting
- Free admission to the Dream Year Weekend
- Exclusive video chats with special guests and tribe members
- Free books and helpful resources in the mail each quarter
- Invitations to private Dream Year gatherings throughout the year
About Ben Arment
Ben has launched a variety of creative projects, including The Whiteboard Sessions, STORY, and now Dream Year. He serves as a development strategist for several national organizations and wrote the book Church in the Making through B&H Publishing. Ben and his wife Ainsley live in Virginia Beach, Virginia with their three boys: Wyatt, Dylan, and Cody.
You can find him at BenArment.com and twitter at @BenArment.
Contact
Made it this far and still have questions? Feel free to drop us a note at info@dreamyear.net. We'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.