If you have always dreamed of owning your own business, it’s time to turn that dream into reality. It may seem like a huge leap of faith, but your dream won’t come to you – you have to go after it. If you really want your dreams to be a reality you must take some sort of action. It won’t happen all by itself. Here are seven tips to get you started on the right path.

1. Believe in your dream and yourself. This could be the hardest part of realizing your dream. You have to believe that you can do it and that it is an achievable dream. You have to believe it is possible before you take any more steps.

2. Take a step every day towards your dream. Each day, take a small step towards making your dream come true. It may not seem like you are making much progress, but getting into the habit of moving towards your dream every day will keep you motivated and build momentum. Just think about how far you will be in a year if you do something each day. Read the book The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy for more information about how small actions can make a huge difference.

3. Set a schedule. Let’s face it, life is busy and time flies by. If you don’t set an opening date for your dream business, it may keep getting pushed farther into the future. Decide when you want to open and then work backwards to set dates when things need to be accomplished for you to reach your goal. Every time you reach a milestone, you will become more motivated to keep reaching for your dream.

4. Ignore negative people. There will always be people who will tell you that your dream is not possible. Maybe they are afraid of reaching for their own dreams and are jealous you are going for yours. It doesn’t matter why they are negative; what matters is that their attitude can affect your drive. Ignore them. Only listen to the people who are supportive of your dream.

5. Share your dream. Sharing your dream can provide you with even more support to go for it. When you are feeling discouraged, you will need the love and support of family and friends. This will keep you from quitting. Sharing your plan also invites others to pass along your dream so you never know who might be able to help you realize your dreams.

6. Lose your expectations. There will be so many twists in the road to your dream that if you are stuck in rigid expectations, you might miss valuable insight. Let your expectations go and free yourself to go after your amazing dream without worrying when little things don’t go your way.

7. Make room for your dream. Reaching your dream will require you to get rid of anything in your life that doesn’t help you anymore. Clear your calendar of commitments that won’t help you reach your dream. If you don’t have a home office, design a space for one. Having an “official” place to work will keep you motivated.

Going for your dream is scary, but there is nothing like finally reaching a goal you have been thinking about for years. Every morning, take a few minutes to visualize yourself with your dream being a reality. Then take small steps to get there. You can do it.