Pursue Your Dreams Without Sacrificing Your Family

Do you have a long list of dreams—but no idea where to start?

Parents often feel torn between wanting a meaningful, adventurous life…and the realities of raising kids, managing a home, and juggling responsibilities. How do you pick the right dream to pursue first—without sacrificing your marriage, health, or family?

In today’s conversation, Greg and Rachel break down the exact five-step process they’ve used for 20+ years to chase bold, meaningful goals while raising seven kids, traveling to over 60 countries, homeschooling, and building a business.

You’ll learn how to prioritize your dreams, avoid sacrifices that damage what matters most, and identify the “first step” that naturally unlocks momentum for every other goal.

Whether you’re overwhelmed by possibilities or unsure how to start, this episode will help you get clarity, build confidence, and make meaningful progress toward the life you actually want—one small step at a time.

Key Takeaways

✅ Write every dream down — clarity comes from seeing your full list on paper.

✅ Follow your intuition and repeated nudges — they’re often guideposts toward your best future.

✅ Aim for alignment — choose the dream that makes the other dreams easier.

✅ Consider urgency — some dreams (like traveling with kids) have a limited window.

✅ Protect the core areas — never sacrifice marriage, parenting, health, or spirituality to chase a goal.

✅ Morning routines fuel everything — they give you the energy, clarity, and stability to pursue big goals.

✅ Forward motion reveals the path — obstacles show you where to start and what to fix first.

✅ Dreams require identity growth — you become the person who can achieve the dream by pursuing it.

MEMORABLE QUOTES

🗣 “You don’t have to see the whole path—you just have to take the first step.”

🗣 “Any meaningful dream requires you to grow into the person who can achieve it.”

🗣 “You can’t pursue big goals while sacrificing your marriage, health, or kids.”

🗣 “Write it all down. Clarity comes through the act of writing.”

🗣 “If you step forward, the next step reveals itself.”

🗣 “Some dreams won’t matter later—and some can’t wait.”

Chapters

00:00 Pursuing Big Dreams with Family

01:29 The Importance of Prioritization

05:39 Holistic Approach to Goals

11:58 Writing Down Your Dreams

16:53 Intuition and Signs in Goal Pursuit

19:23 The Journey of Homesteading and Property Ownership

19:53 Following Your Interests as a Guidepost

22:04 The Importance of Genuine Interests

24:27 Researching and Learning as a Pathway

26:43 The Ready, Fire, Aim Approach

28:39 Defining Success and Wealth

29:54 Deciding Which Dream to Pursue

RESOURCES:

Let us help you in your extraordinary family life journey.

• How We Raised 7 Well-Adjusted Kids - Without Yelling, Tantrums, Punishments or Power Struggles (+ get THE CHECKLIST: Things We Do Every Day to Raise Well-Adjusted Kids)

• Rachel’s ⁠⁠Must-Read Booklist for Well-Read Moms⁠⁠

• Greg's ⁠⁠Recommended Reading List for Parents & Youth⁠⁠

• Join the 12-Week Habits Challenge for parents of kids 13+

• Don’t miss out on the Extraordinary Parent Mentoring Method class!

• Get Greg’s NEW Formidable Family Man BOOK!

• Get Rachel's ⁠⁠Family Systems & Charts⁠⁠

• Get Rachel’s Extraordinary Family Life Planner

• Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@worldschoolfamily⁠ or ⁠@greg.denning⁠