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Dream Big

Know What You Want, Why You Want It, and What You're Going to Do About It

4.3 (7,726 ratings)
33 minutes read | Text | 9 key ideas
Life is full of possibilities, yet how often do we let fear steal the dreams we once held dear? In "Dream Big," Bob Goff, the celebrated mind behind "Love Does" and "Everybody, Always," invites readers to reclaim those aspirations with renewed vigor. This isn’t just a guide—it's an inspiring manifesto for those ready to overcome self-imposed barriers and embrace a life of boundless potential. Drawing from his renowned Dream Big workshop, Goff shares hard-earned wisdom and actionable strategies for identifying, planning, and pursuing your most audacious goals. With a blend of heartfelt storytelling and practical advice, this book challenges you to rediscover and realize your hidden dreams. If you're ready to trade in a half-lived life for one brimming with passion and purpose, "Dream Big" is your essential companion on the journey to a more fulfilled you.

Categories

Business, Nonfiction, Self Help, Christian, Leadership, Audiobook, Personal Development, Christian Living, Christianity, Faith

Content Type

Book

Binding

Hardcover

Year

2020

Publisher

Thomas Nelson

Language

English

ISBN13

9781400219490

File Download

PDF | EPUB

Dream Big Plot Summary

Introduction

In a world that often celebrates status and achievement, Bob Goff stands as a refreshing anomaly - a man who measures success not by what he has accumulated but by what he has given away. With his flaming red hair and freckles that once made him the target of childhood bullies, Goff transformed into one of the most influential voices on love, faith, and audacious living of our time. As a self-proclaimed "recovering lawyer," Goff walked away from a successful legal career to pursue a life dedicated to loving others extravagantly and encouraging them to dream bigger than they ever thought possible. What makes Goff's story so compelling is the beautiful contradiction at its core - his profound simplicity paired with extraordinary impact. From building schools in conflict zones to printing his personal cell phone number in his books and taking calls from strangers, Goff has redefined what it means to live with purpose. His journey reveals three vital elements we can all incorporate into our lives: the courage to pursue audacious ambitions without fear of failure, the wisdom to choose lasting meaning over temporary success, and the transformative power of taking genuine interest in others. Through his experiences in places like Uganda, Somalia, and Afghanistan, as well as his everyday encounters with people around him, Goff demonstrates that a life devoted to love in action can change not just individual lives but entire communities and nations.

Chapter 1: Finding Purpose Through Genuine Connection

When Bob Goff answers his phone, he has no idea who might be on the other end. It could be a college student with a broken-down car, a dying man making one of his last calls, or someone who accidentally backed into another car and left Goff's number instead of their own. This is because Goff prints his actual cell phone number in the back of his books - an unconventional move that results in about one hundred calls daily from complete strangers. Most authors (and publishers) would consider this madness, but for Goff, these calls represent his philosophy in action: genuine connection with others is the doorway to purpose. This availability isn't merely a quirky habit; it's a manifestation of Goff's belief that being fully present for others is the most reliable pathway to finding meaning. Growing up in Northern California, young Bob learned early lessons about connection from his grandparents, who set aside a special room just for him in their home. They would place nickels in a drawer each time they entered his room, calling it "room rent" - a small gesture that made him feel valued and seen. This foundation of unconditional love became the template for how Goff would later approach relationships with everyone he encountered. Goff's approach to human connection transcends typical networking or social climbing. "Networking is for rookies," he often says. What he practices instead is a form of radical availability - being present without an agenda or expectation of return. This philosophy was tested in its most extreme form during his humanitarian work in war-torn countries, where making himself available often meant placing himself in harm's way. In Mogadishu, Somalia, three hotels he stayed in were later bombed. In Uganda, he found himself in the middle of a life-threatening situation while trying to rescue children from human trafficking. Despite the risks, Goff continues to make himself available because he believes transformative moments happen in the spaces between planned events - in the unexpected phone call, the chance encounter at an airport, or the conversation with a stranger. One particularly moving example occurred when Goff received a call from a woman who had just learned she had a brain tumor. The surgery to remove it would affect the part of her brain that controlled speech. She had called Goff to have one of her last conversations. When asked what she was saying to friends in her final days of speech, she replied, "I'm being really picky about what I say. I want the few words I have left to mean more than all the words I've ever said before." This encounter epitomizes what Goff has discovered through thousands of connections: our willingness to be available to others doesn't deplete us; it fills us with purpose. When we take genuine interest in the people around us - whether they're world leaders or the person next to us on an airplane - we begin to see our own lives with greater clarity. By asking thoughtful questions and listening intently, Goff has built a life rich with meaning and impact. His availability has become his most reliable tool for uncovering purpose not just for himself, but for those whose lives he touches. This approach to connection stands in stark contrast to a culture obsessed with efficiency and productivity. Goff reminds us that love's goal isn't efficiency; it's presence. The people we spend time with, he argues, will play the largest part in the ambitions we achieve - not the minutes we save each day by avoiding them. This understanding has propelled Goff toward his most meaningful work and continues to be the cornerstone of his approach to living a purpose-filled life.

Chapter 2: Breaking Free From Limiting Beliefs

Bob Goff understands the power of limiting beliefs better than most. As a child covered in freckles, he endured the taunts of neighborhood bullies who nicknamed him "Spot." The shame cut so deep that young Bob spent hours trying to erase his freckles with an actual eraser until his skin bled. This early experience with self-rejection could have defined him, but a turning point came when someone took a different approach to his freckles. This person connected the dots on his arms with a Sharpie marker, revealing the outline of giraffes and other creatures. What had been a source of shame became something magical - not spots to be erased but possibilities to be discovered. This transformation illustrates a critical theme in Goff's approach to breaking free from limiting beliefs: what we view as defects often become our greatest distinguishing features when seen through the lens of love and acceptance. The freckles Goff once tried to erase became part of his identity, what he now describes as "God getting a little excited with the paintbrush when He made me." This shift in perspective allowed him to embrace not just his physical appearance but his entire authentic self - quirks, failures, and all. For Goff, breaking free from limiting beliefs also required understanding their origins. He refers to this process as "getting under the ice cap" - the difficult but necessary work of exploring what lies beneath the surface of our actions and reactions. Through his own exploration, Goff discovered that many of the voices we internalize as truth actually originated from others - parents, teachers, coaches, or bullies. These voices can keep us captive, creating what Goff likens to Stockholm syndrome, where we develop an affection for the very beliefs that are holding us hostage. A striking example of this came during Goff's flying lessons, when he was instructed on what to do if the engine failed. Contrary to instinct, which would be to pull up and away from the ground, the correct response is to "pitch forward" toward the earth to maintain control. This counterintuitive move parallels what Goff believes we must do with our limiting beliefs: rather than pulling away or denying them, we must move toward them with curiosity and courage. "We can't fix what we won't take the time to understand," he emphasizes. Goff's journey to overcome his own limiting beliefs reached a defining moment when he decided to write his first book despite having no formal training as an author. When he shared this dream with his friend Don, an established writer, Don didn't merely encourage him with platitudes. Instead, he challenged Goff to think bigger: "That's a really beautiful ambition, Bob, but what if we create something that lands on the New York Times bestseller list and encourages even more people?" This question pushed Goff beyond the boundaries of what he thought possible, helping him see that his limited vision for his work was self-imposed. The result was a book that indeed became a bestseller, with all proceeds going toward establishing schools in conflict zones - an outcome far exceeding what Goff had initially believed possible. This experience taught him that limiting beliefs often masquerade as practicality or humility, when in reality they're barriers to the impact we're capable of creating. Today, Goff encourages others to recognize these false boundaries by asking provocative questions: "What would happen if we lived life with no ceiling? What if we approached our ambitions not with fear of failure but with an eagerness to discover what's possible?" Through his example, Goff demonstrates that breaking free from limiting beliefs isn't just about personal fulfillment - it's about unlocking our capacity to bring more love and hope into a world desperately in need of both.

Chapter 3: Taking Bold Action Beyond Comfort Zones

When Bob Goff flew to Mogadishu, Somalia, he stepped off the plane into one of the most dangerous cities in the world. A country torn apart by clan warfare and terrorism, Somalia represented the extreme edge of what most would consider a reasonable risk. But for Goff, this wasn't recklessness; it was a calculated decision to move toward what he calls "the edge of yikes" - that uncomfortable space where meaningful change becomes possible. As he traveled through the bullet-riddled streets with a security detail, their vehicle was suddenly cut off by another car - a classic setup for an attack. "This is really bad!" the driver exclaimed as gunfire erupted. In that moment of chaos, all Goff could utter was "Yikes!" This experience encapsulates Goff's philosophy about bold action: comfortable people don't change the world; people willing to live at the edge of their comfort zones do. Having built a comfortable life with all the trappings of success - a thriving law practice, a beautiful home, financial security - Goff made the countercultural decision to step away from it all. In a move that shocked his colleagues, he walked into his own law firm one day, gathered everyone in a conference room, and announced he was quitting. He handed the keys to a longtime employee, walked out, and never returned. This wasn't a rash decision but a deliberate choice to trade what was working in his life for what would be lasting. Goff's bold actions extend beyond career decisions to everyday practices that challenge conventional wisdom. Every Thursday, he quits one thing - a practice he calls his "weekly kelp removal." Like a sailboat dragging seaweed that gradually slows its progress, Goff believes our lives accumulate commitments and habits that impede our movement toward what matters most. By intentionally quitting something each week, he creates space for new possibilities. Some Thursdays he quits something obviously detrimental, while other times he quits something perfectly good that simply isn't serving his larger purpose. This practice of regular pruning has allowed him to maintain focus on his most important work. Perhaps most remarkable is Goff's willingness to take bold action on behalf of strangers. When a young woman named Grace shared her dream of becoming a speaker but lacked the opportunity to record herself in front of a large audience, Goff took action. Scheduled to speak to three thousand people, he invited Grace onstage without clearing it with the event organizers. He simply walked her to the microphone, whispered "go," and stepped aside. Though this unorthodox move likely cost him future speaking invitations, Goff considered it worth the price. Grace delivered a powerful talk that launched her speaking career - a result that wouldn't have happened without someone willing to take a bold, unexpected action. The driving force behind Goff's willingness to take such risks is his belief that "we don't go down in history for what we thought about doing." He distinguishes between "10:34 people" and "10:35 people," referencing the Wright brothers' first flight. At 10:34, they were still on the ground with all the uncertainty that comes before a pioneering attempt. At 10:35, they were airborne, having taken the leap from planning to action. Goff contends that most people live perpetually at 10:34, contemplating great ideas but never taking the decisive step to launch them into reality. For those hesitant to step beyond their comfort zones, Goff offers a reassuring perspective: failure is not just acceptable but expected. He gives himself "three epic fails" each year - not minor mistakes but significant flops. This allowance for failure creates freedom to attempt what others might consider too risky or improbable. His experience getting stoned by an angry mob in an Indian red-light district while attempting to rescue trafficking victims counts as one such epic fail. Yet even in that painful experience, he discovered that "I'd rather fail trying than fail watching" - a motto that continues to propel him toward bold action where others might choose caution or inaction.

Chapter 4: Embracing Failure as a Path to Growth

When Bob Goff took his motorcycle test at the Department of Motor Vehicles, he arrived on a borrowed Harley-Davidson chopper wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses. He looked the part of an experienced rider, but appearances proved deceiving when he proceeded to hit every single cone on the test course. The examiner failed him and suggested he might be better off taking a cab home. A month later, Goff returned for another attempt - this time riding a yellow Vespa with streamers on the handlebars and a basket of fake flowers. Looking utterly ridiculous but far more maneuverable, he passed the test with flying colors. This experience taught Goff a crucial lesson about failure: sometimes our desire to look impressive becomes the very thing that prevents our success. Throughout his life, Goff has cultivated an unusual relationship with failure - not just accepting it but actively incorporating it into his approach to life and work. He carries three small, red carnival tickets in his wallet as physical reminders that he's allowed "three epic fails" each year. This practice isn't about lowering standards but about creating psychological safety for taking meaningful risks. By planning for failure rather than being surprised by it, Goff removes much of its sting and transforms it into a learning opportunity rather than a final verdict. One of Goff's most significant failures occurred in a remote village in India, where he and his team were attempting to rescue young girls from brothels. After successfully freeing several children, they discovered one girl had been returned to her parents - the same parents who had originally sold her into trafficking. Outraged, Goff's team tracked down the family only to learn they had resold the child for forty dollars. Their subsequent rescue attempt went catastrophically wrong, resulting in Goff and his colleagues being surrounded by an angry mob, pelted with rocks until their car windows shattered, and ultimately detained in an Indian jail. It was, by any measure, an epic failure that endangered multiple lives. What distinguishes Goff's approach to such failures is his refusal to allow them to define him or deter his mission. Rather than abandoning efforts to combat human trafficking after this traumatic experience, he and his organization modified their approach, learned from their mistakes, and continued the work with greater wisdom. This pattern of "fail, learn, adjust, and try again" characterizes Goff's entire approach to pursuing audacious goals. He often cites biblical figures like Abraham, David, and Moses - all of whom had spectacular failures on their records yet remained central to the unfolding of their faith tradition. Particularly instructive is Goff's experience with the Lodge he built in British Columbia - a remote retreat constructed over two decades as a place for rest and deep conversation. After years of work, a mistake by painters left oily rags that spontaneously combusted, burning the entire structure to the ground in twenty minutes. The devastation was total, with a lifetime of memories reduced to ashes. While mourning this loss, Goff and his wife discovered that the tragedy had revealed something deeper: during counseling sessions following the fire, his wife Maria disclosed trauma she had never before been able to articulate. "If it took our Lodge burning down for you to get real with this," Goff told her, "I would have lit the match myself." This profound perspective illuminates Goff's understanding of failure's hidden purpose: sometimes what appears to be our greatest setback creates space for healing and truth we couldn't otherwise access. The rebuilt Lodge, completed after five years of additional work, stands as a physical testament to Goff's belief that failures don't disqualify us; they prepare us. "God will burn down whatever it takes to get to the truth of our lives," he reflects, challenging conventional notions that failure indicates we're on the wrong path. For those seeking to emulate Goff's approach to failure, he offers practical advice: "Don't say 'I'll pray about it' when what you mean is 'I'm afraid to try,'" and "Don't mistake temporary setbacks for permanent roadblocks." By reframing failure as an expected part of any meaningful pursuit rather than an aberration to be avoided at all costs, Goff models a path toward greater resilience, authenticity, and ultimately, impact.

Chapter 5: Making Dreams Tangible Through Small Steps

In a small church in India at midnight, Bob Goff witnessed a profound lesson in turning dreams into reality. Meeting with people trapped in bonded labor (a form of modern slavery), Goff noticed two clay jars of rice on a table. The pastor explained their purpose: one jar was for giving what you could, the other for taking what you needed. The only rule was that each transaction was limited to one handful at a time - enough to make a meal or give a meal. What struck Goff most was that neither jar was ever empty, despite the extreme poverty of the community. This simple system became a template for how Goff would approach making dreams tangible: through consistent, manageable actions rather than dramatic, unsustainable gestures. Inspired by this principle, Goff implemented a similar approach when organizing a conference. He placed two bowls in the lobby - one filled with money for taking and one empty for giving. Without supervision or rules beyond the concept itself, Goff trusted participants to engage with the system appropriately. By the event's end, both bowls were filled with funds that were then distributed to various causes. One woman took just five dollars from the bowl and used it to buy beads for making jewelry. She sold her creations, reinvested the proceeds in more supplies, and eventually generated enough money to support children in Africa - all starting with a single handful. This incremental approach contrasts sharply with how many people pursue their ambitions. Goff observes that we often become paralyzed by the gap between where we are and where we want to be, forgetting that every significant achievement begins with a single step. He likens this to what pilots call "ground effect" - the phenomenon where a plane seems to hover just above the runway before landing. Many people experience this with their dreams, perpetually floating above their ambitions without ever making contact with reality. Goff's own journey demonstrates the power of small, consistent actions. When he dreamed of starting schools in conflict zones, he didn't wait for perfect conditions or complete funding. He began using proceeds from his law practice to establish the first school in Gulu, Uganda - ground zero for the Lord's Resistance Army conflict. Each case won provided resources for the next step in building educational opportunities for children caught in warfare. This approach of using what was already in his hands allowed Goff to make tangible progress toward a seemingly impossible goal. The willingness to start small also characterized Goff's approach to learning the drums. Rather than purchasing an expensive drum set immediately, he bought a six-dollar pair of drumsticks and practiced on pots and pans. "Instead of looking like a boss," he explains, "I decided I wanted to play like a boss." This distinction between appearance and substance runs through all of Goff's advice about making dreams tangible. He consistently encourages people to focus on substance over style, progress over perfection, and action over endless planning. For those struggling to move from dreaming to doing, Goff offers practical steps: write down one thousand words daily about your ambition (even if they're "bad words" that will later be improved); make one phone call each day to advance your goal; create reminders everywhere that keep your ambition in focus; and celebrate incremental progress rather than waiting for complete achievement. These practices create momentum that eventually transforms abstract ambitions into concrete reality. Perhaps most importantly, Goff emphasizes that landing your dreams requires "pitching forward" - moving toward your goal even when instinct tells you to pull back. Like a pilot whose engine fails mid-flight must counter-intuitively point the nose toward the ground to maintain control, those pursuing dreams must often move toward discomfort rather than away from it. This willingness to pitch forward, pick a landing spot, and keep pointing toward it regardless of turbulence distinguishes those who merely dream from those who actually achieve their ambitions.

Chapter 6: Building a Legacy of Love and Service

In the bustling red-light district of Mumbai, Bob Goff witnessed the darkest expressions of human trafficking - children as young as eleven sold into sexual slavery, often by their own families. Rather than turning away from this horror, he leaned into it, establishing safe houses and schools for rescued children. This wasn't a one-time humanitarian gesture but part of a consistent pattern throughout Goff's life: transforming outrage into action, pain into purpose, and ambition into legacy. Goff's approach to legacy-building differs markedly from conventional wisdom. While many focus on creating monuments to themselves, Goff measures legacy by its impact on the most vulnerable. His organization has established schools in Uganda, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflict zones - not prestigious institutions bearing his name, but humble learning centers where children who would otherwise be recruited as child soldiers or child brides can learn to read, write, and envision different futures. The schools themselves aren't the legacy; the transformed lives of the students are. This perspective emerged from Goff's realization that "what we do isn't who we are." Early in his career, he derived identity from professional accomplishments - winning cases as an attorney, teaching as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine Law School, building a successful practice. The pivotal shift came when he recognized that these achievements, while valuable, created only temporary impact. "I used to spend my time doing things that worked," he reflects. "Now I'm trying to do things that last." This quarter-twist in thinking - small but significant - redirected his ambitions toward longer horizons. Central to Goff's legacy-building approach is his belief that love expressed through action creates the most enduring impact. This principle guided his decision to print his personal cell phone number in his books, making himself available to thousands of strangers. One caller was a young man who had fallen seventy feet from a cliff at Sunset Cliffs in California. Goff and friends happened to be nearby and rushed to provide CPR and comfort while awaiting emergency services. Despite their efforts, the young man died. Months later, when the mother contacted Goff, he shared a photograph he had taken of the sunset her son had been viewing before his fall. Rather than focusing on the tragedy of the mistake, Goff helped her see the beauty her son had witnessed in his final moments - a small but profound act of reframing that offered comfort amid grief. The incident highlights another aspect of Goff's legacy-building philosophy: love doesn't require perfect execution or guaranteed outcomes. "I'd rather fail trying than fail watching," he often says, emphasizing that meaningful legacy emerges from consistent attempts rather than occasional successes. This conviction has sustained him through numerous setbacks, including being detained overseas, having schools raided, and facing opposition from those who profit from exploitation. Each obstacle has reinforced rather than diminished his commitment to building a legacy of love in action. Perhaps most remarkable about Goff's approach to legacy is his insistence on involving others rather than positioning himself as the sole hero of the narrative. When he learned about the "wake-up fairy" role in his kindergarten class - donning wings and tapping sleeping classmates with a wand - he desperately wanted the position. When his turn finally came, his enthusiasm led him to trip over a classmate and break the child's nose, immediately losing his fairy privileges. Rather than viewing this early failure as defining, Goff now sees it as instructive: true legacy isn't about wielding power over others but about empowering them to awaken to their own potential and purpose. This collaborative approach to legacy-building manifests in how Goff celebrates the accomplishments of others. When a friend named Aaron wanted to become a lawyer but couldn't afford law school, Goff and colleagues at his firm created their own "law school" with Aaron as the sole student, teaching him everything he needed to know to pass the bar exam. When a woman named Grace dreamed of becoming a speaker but lacked opportunity, Goff unexpectedly invited her onstage during his own speaking engagement. These acts of generosity create ripple effects that extend far beyond what Goff could accomplish alone. The cumulative result is a legacy not carved in stone or enshrined in buildings, but embedded in changed lives across continents. From students in war zones who now have educational opportunities to strangers who received kindness during their darkest moments, Goff's legacy consists of thousands of individual stories of transformation. As he puts it, "Heaven doesn't look at our accomplishments; it celebrates our impact." By this measure, Goff's legacy of love and service continues to multiply with each life touched by his extraordinary approach to ordinary moments.

Chapter 7: Sustaining Belief Through Life's Challenges

When Kelly was diagnosed with a fatal heart condition, doctors delivered devastating news: without a heart transplant, she would die. An avid mountain climber who tackled peaks worldwide with her husband Craig, Kelly suddenly faced the ultimate test of belief - not just believing she would survive, but maintaining faith that life could still be meaningful even if dramatically altered. Through a remarkable turn of events, Kelly received a donor heart from a woman named Alice who had died in a riding accident. The surgery was successful, but it came with an unexpected complication: the nerves connecting Kelly's brain to her new heart had been severed, meaning her heart couldn't naturally respond to the demands of her activities. This medical reality created a profound metaphor for sustaining belief through challenges. To continue climbing mountains - her passion and source of purpose - Kelly had to literally whisper to her heart at the beginning of each climb, telling it the work ahead would be difficult and it needed to beat harder. At the summit, she would whisper again, letting her heart know it was time to rest. This practice of consciously communicating with her heart parallels what Bob Goff considers essential for sustaining belief through life's challenges: we must actively speak truth to ourselves, especially when circumstances suggest our dreams are impossible. Goff's own journey of sustained belief has been tested repeatedly. When his beloved Lodge in British Columbia burned to the ground after twenty years of construction, he faced a crossroads familiar to anyone whose dreams have literally or figuratively gone up in flames. The question wasn't whether rebuilding was possible - it was whether rebuilding was worth it. For Goff, the answer emerged from reconnecting with his original purpose: creating a place where people could experience rest, meaningful conversation, and transformation. This clarity about "why" provided the fuel to sustain belief through the five-year rebuilding process. Central to Goff's approach to sustaining belief is what he calls "checking your ropes" - ensuring you're securely anchored to something immovable. He learned this lesson literally while rock climbing with his roommate in college. After reaching the top of a cliff and preparing to belay his friend who was climbing up, Goff realized he had forgotten to anchor himself to the rock. If his friend had fallen, both would have plunged off the cliff. This near-miss taught Goff the importance of being tied to something solid enough to hold your weight when life's challenges threaten to pull you down. For Goff, these anchoring points include his faith in God, his marriage to "Sweet Maria," and a small circle of friends who speak truth when he needs to hear it. Without these connections, he believes sustaining belief through difficult circumstances would be impossible. "We're not all balloon and no string in life," he often says, emphasizing that even the most buoyant optimism requires grounding in reality and relationship. Particularly instructive is Goff's experience with failure and setback. Rather than interpreting obstacles as divine signals to abandon his direction, Goff views them as invitations to deepen his resolve and refine his approach. When his attempts to rescue trafficking victims in India resulted in being stoned by an angry mob, he didn't interpret this as a closed door but as a call to develop more effective strategies. This resilience stems from his conviction that "God isn't like a DMV examiner tapping His pencil on a scorecard scrutinizing our every move until we get it right." Instead, Goff believes in a God who walks alongside us through difficulties rather than orchestrating them as tests. Perhaps most practically, Goff sustains belief by being "picky about words" - both those he speaks to himself and those he speaks to others. He learned this from a woman who, facing surgery that would affect her ability to speak, chose to make her remaining words count rather than fill space with meaningless chatter. Similarly, Goff suggests that sustaining belief requires eliminating negative self-talk and replacing it with words that affirm possibility rather than limitation. When someone equated the loss of their dog with his friend's loss of a child, Goff watched his friend respond not with outrage but with compassion, asking, "What was your dog's name?" This exemplifies how carefully chosen words can sustain belief even in painful circumstances. For those facing their own challenges to belief, Goff offers this guidance: "Don't default to hand-wringing, idle conversations laced with despair and disappointment. Be picky about your words. You only need a few of them." Three he suggests starting with: "Be not afraid." By choosing words that foster courage rather than fear, hope rather than despair, and possibility rather than limitation, Goff demonstrates how belief can be sustained not despite life's challenges but through them - transforming obstacles into opportunities for deeper faith and more meaningful impact.

Summary

The extraordinary life of Bob Goff reveals a profound truth: our greatest impact comes not from chasing success but from pursuing love in action. Through his journey from a freckle-faced boy bullied as "Spot" to a humanitarian building schools in war zones, Goff demonstrates that authentic purpose emerges when we trade self-importance for genuine availability to others. His practice of printing his cell phone number in books, quitting something every Thursday to make room for growth, and living at "the edge of yikes" offers a revolutionary template for meaningful living in a distracted world. The lessons from Goff's life transcend mere inspiration, providing practical wisdom for anyone seeking greater purpose. First, make yourself radically available - to God, to others, and to opportunities that align with your deepest values. Second, embrace failure as a necessary component of growth rather than evidence of unworthiness. Finally, focus on incremental progress rather than perfect execution, remembering that meaningful change happens "one handful at a time." In a culture obsessed with appearance and achievement, Goff's legacy reminds us that what matters isn't how our lives look, but how much love we've released into the world. His story beckons us all to whisper to our hearts, "It's time to dream big," and then take the one small step that transforms dreams into reality.

Best Quote

“We need to replace what we’ve settled for with what we’ve been longing for.” ― Bob Goff, Dream Big: Know What You Want, Why You Want It, and What You’re Going to Do About It

Review Summary

Strengths: The review highlights the book's infectious joy and overwhelming positivity, which provided the reader with a renewed sense of purpose and vision. The book's ability to inspire and offer a fresh perspective during a time of uncertainty is emphasized as a significant strength. Weaknesses: Not explicitly mentioned. Overall Sentiment: Enthusiastic Key Takeaway: The book "Dream Big" by Bob Goff is portrayed as a source of inspiration and guidance, particularly during challenging times. It encourages embracing uncertainty and setbacks as part of the journey towards achieving one's dreams, suggesting that detours can lead to the correct path.

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Dream Big

By Bob Goff

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