Could Brad Pitt help you with your BIG dream?

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In my upcoming book called Ignite, A little book to spark your big dreams… I talk about the idea of asking for help on your big dreams.

In some cases… I even suggest dreaming BIG about who you ask for help from!

Recently, I was encouraging a college student I met to reach out to a big name author and blogger.

This student really respected the guy and thought he could learn a lot from him. When I suggested connecting with him, the student looked at me a little shocked and said, “But how would I do that?”

So here’s the specific email I shot him on the subject. (I’m leaving out the student’s and the author’s name… just to protect everyone.)

Student X-

Thanks so much for getting back in touch with me. It was great to meet you last Friday and it was inspiring to see how innovative you were being with getting your message out there.

You’re on your way my friend.

I’m really glad you dug into _________’s site. He’s the best writer on branding that I know. Plus wisdom and passion just ooooozes out of him. Not only that but he’s one of my favorite people on the planet.

Okay, as for getting in touch with him.

His email is: XXXXXXXXX

Now, he is one of the busiest guys that I know, so here’s what I would recommend.

I would think through an email or a letter to him directly.

Be very intentional.

I’d suggest letting him know that you connected to his work through me, but I’d go way beyond that.

I suggest digging into a couple of posts and really letting him know what you appreciated about his work. That will show that you’ve really read his stuff, it will encourage him and it will show him that you’re serious.

Then I’d suggest asking to meet with him but I’d suggest that you offer to buy him lunch or coffee. Not because he needs a free lunch or coffee, but it would show (again) that your serious.

Then also give him permission to not be able to do it for months. I know that may sound weird but his schedule is PACKED but most people what and expect to meet with him immediately. So if you gave him the grace to meet with you WHENEVER it worked for him, I’m sure that would help your cause. I know you’d like to meet sooner rather than later but this would be a true tip of the hat to his busy world.

By the way, he gets between 200 and 300 emails a day. So you want to stand out and encourage him in the process.

Have some fun with it.

See what happens.

You’re awesome buddy!

Keep up the good work,

mm

I’ll let you in on a little secret.  I let the author know about the student and that the e-mail might be coming but I didn’t let the student know that.  The author was open to talking with the student if he reached out in a way that stood out.

Just think about it… your hero… that author… that director… that successful executive… that rebellious entrepreneur… that politician… might just be willing to connect with you and give you some words of wisdom for your BIG dream.

I know it seems far fetched… but the same rules could even apply to someone like Brad Pitt.

Ok, that might be pushing it with Brad Pitt (you might need to know someone from his inner-circle to make it through) but you just never know!

Heck, one student from our BDG in the fall who had a big dream of being a screen writer wound up getting connected with some directors who had produced million dollar films through fellow big dreamers… so it can happen!

You just need to be intentional about how you reach out… and be encouraging and full of grace as you do.

You just never know what might happen!

So… here are some questions for you…

• Who might be a person (or people) who could help you with your big dream?
• Who’s someone who might be able to help you connect with them? (Sometimes it helps to have a go-between.)
• How could you show them some significant respect as your reached out to them?
• How could you encourage them as you connected with them?  (That’s right… even those super confident people need encouragement… because they have bad days sometimes too!)
• How could you show them that your really appreciate their work and or have spent some time following them? (Stay away from the “Stalker ditch” by keeping it professional and fun.)
• How can you show them that you really respect their time and their wisdom? (Offer to pay for coffee, lunch or for an hour of their time?)
• How could you be incredibly clear on how you think they might be able to help you? (words of wisdom, a story behind a particular achievement, a connection?)

I’ve got to say that I’ve gotten to meet some freakishly cool people this way.  And I know some other serial networkers who have even better stories than me… so it can be done!

Plus, I’ve found that more often than not, people are much more open to meet with you if it’s absolutely possible for them to do it.  Especially if you’re willing to be encouraging, gracious and when it involves a big dream.

So have at it… and let me know how it goes!

Keep dreaming BIG,

Mitch Matthews (That Dream BIG Guy!)