As a wisdom entrepreneur, there are many places where I can get stuck. Here are a few of traps that I fall into:

• Skimping on "dream" time. This is a big one for me. As someone who likes to get things done, I can rush through the phase of dreaming about what I want, envisioning how things could look differently. I settle for a "rough sketch" of the future or worse yet, a small dream, and move on to tactics and implementation. Stay in the dreaming phase as long as you can stand it. Revel in possibilities and what ifs. Give your imagination a work out. Photo by MysticMoon14

• Relying on observation instead of action. Finding great examples to inspire and model after are great. But eventually, you have to figure out the solution to your specific situation by moving into action. Success is created experientially, not theoretically. I once had a coaching instructor say to me, "Carol, you can't just be an observer of life. You have to be a participant."  Be a participant. Try stuff out and see what happens.

• Action that's not grounded in essence. I can get caught up in the doing, without being grounded in the essence or core of why I'm doing something. This is otherwise known as "being busy." If you find yourself frenetic, with no feeling of progress, go back to the core of your message, the essence of your idea.  Essence relates more to feeling than thinking. Once you have the feeling, then bring in purpose. Align essence with purpose with action. If you have trouble aligning those three, reassess the need for action.Photo by jurvetson

• Losing the essence altogether. I have to admit that this is probably where I've been for the last few weeks. While focused on building a new business related to my Networking Naturally Program, I lost sight of the essence of A Bigger Voice. I forgot about the magic that comes with building a community, how the seed of an idea can blossom into something larger than a single individual, how communities can produce unexpected and stunning results.  It wasn't until I caught up with a couple of our pilot clients from last year, and heard how the concepts of A Bigger Voice have been put into practice, that I got excited about working on ABV again. In the next few weeks, I'll post portions of my interview with the Wendel brothers, Chris and Tim.

You may be wondering, "How does this relate to the three phases of A Bigger Voice?"

We can know the recipe but still be reluctant to cook. We can follow the steps but not know what it is we are preparing. We can lack the anticipation and excitement of imagining what the dish will taste and look like when it's done. We can forget that we are hungry, more hungry than we know. The three phases of A Bigger Voice–Crystallize, Build Community, and Sustain–provide the recipe. Just like a cook sees the recipe as the start, so should the wisdom entrepreneur see A Bigger Voice–as a roadmap for a long and wonderful journey.

Which trap have you been falling into lately? 

Photo by erix!