I don't know what I'm doing.

I've got lots of questions.

For the past few years/most of my adult life, I have endeavored to present a picture of myself to the world as an exceptionally qualified professional person.

I wanted my brand to say, "Mahlena is a kind, collaborative team player who brings excellence and a quiet curiosity to what role she find herself in."

I spent much of my education and my career being told--often by accomplished black professionals--that if I showed up, worked hard and played hard, was the first one to arrive and the last one to leave, double-checked and triple-checked my projects, did twice as much to get half as far, and a bunch of other platitudes from The Book of Respectability Politics, verses 1 through infinity, then I would find success in my chosen field.

That did not happen.





That mindset definitely worked in elementary school, middle school, high school, up through the day I graduated from college. But the following day, and year, and decade, being excellent at my job was not a recipe for success.

"Do I know the recipe? Maybe..."

Keep in mind, I love being excellent. I love being a smarty pants. I love learning the "right" way to do anything. I love engaging with people and finding way to solve problems together.

But that has not always translated to success for me.

The engaging with people, yes. That's great. I enjoy that. And, it works.

The being excellent and doing things the "right" way, no.

I could go into depth about who decides what is "excellent" and what is "right", and why that only works for a minority of people who share the same characteristics of those minority of decision makers. But that wouldn't lead me to a positive or happy place. Let's get back to me and you and what we can do.

So that leads me to where I am now.

I am developing this website to teach people how to achieve their personal and professional goals through creating Dream Boards.

That is the stated goal for the moment. A month from now, after talking with you fellow Dreamers about what areas you're dealing with in your lives, that goal may change. A year from now, this project may look completely different.

Essentially, I want to help people by sharing what I have learned to achieve success, so that those people can apply those lessons and achieve success in their lives--on their terms, not mine. Success in my life will not necessarily be the success that you want for your life.

For example, I wrote a book, I sat reading on a beach, and I had a birthday party with cupcakes. These are all things I have put on my Dream Boards.

If you like these things, you can put them on your Dream Board, too.

If these are not things you want, then don't put them on your Dream Board!

Want a cupcake? Superb!

Don't want a cupcake? That's cool, too!

I may be the Cruise Director of I Have A Dream Board, but I am also learning through this process. Your insights and input will be helping me as I figure out ways to help you.

Therefore, please leave a comment below!

Or, if you have a super secret thought you would to share, you can email me at iHaveADreamBoard@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading!