“Only one who has risked the fight with the dragon and is not overcome by it wins the hoard, the ‘treasure hard to attain.’ He alone has a genuine claim to self-confidence, for he has faced the dark ground of his self and thereby has gained himself…”

Carl G. Jung, The Collected Works of Carl G Jung

I’m getting ready to redesign my web site. But first I have to answer some big questions for my web design consultant, one of which is “Who does your business serve?” I’m meant to respond with the demographics of my ideal dream client. But here’s what I really want to say:

My ideal client has met the dragon.

My ideal client met the dragon, and she did not turn her back.

Or maybe he turned her back once, but now she is ready to face its firey breath.

My ideal client is ready to do what it takes to claim his treasure.

You, Dreamer, are a dragonslayer …

I want to work with you if you’re a dreamer. An adventurous dreamer, that is:

If you know that you have dragons to slay.

If you love an adventure–especially the kind you take without ever packing a bag.

You’re the dreamer who has stepped onto the battleground–and you know for sure this isn’t a place for bloodshed. this is the ground of mystery—and mastery. It’s a place you visit at night, beneath the deep blackness of your closed eyes.

The sword in your hand is forged of courage. It is there to give you the confidence to face what comes. (It’s a prop, and one day you’ll be able to drop the sword, wield just the courage instead.)

With the sword in hand (for now) you turn toward the breath of fire. Or you turn toward the rising sea. Or you look into the metal-toothed mouth of the one who wants to devour you. Or you take your sword with you into the stinking crypt. (The dragon takes many forms, you see.)

You are the one who has glimpsed the treasure and you want it more than you fear the fire, the fall, the crushing weight of body or bone, or the menacing glare.

How do I serve you, Daring Dreamer?

I serve you by affirming what you already know: The journey is real, (and it’s just a dream.)

The dragon is more than just the fiery mouth. It also has wings and claws, and ancient knowing—and it has come to serve you, not destroy you. (Wouldn’t it be great to have a dragon on your side? You do!)

I believe in the urgency that shook you awake in the night.

I’ve fought the dragon and I’ll fight it again and again. Sometimes it sleeps at my feet and sometimes it wags its fire in my face and I wake with a burn on my cheek.

I’ve learned, when I’m scared, to sing out in the darkness:

“I’m brave, I’m brave.”

I know that just a little courage goes a long, long way.

I’ve grabbed fistfuls of the treasure. I’m still digging up more.

I want you to have it, too. Grab a shovel. Dig deep.

My eyes have adjusted to the dark after years of gazing within.

You are among my people if your pupils are growing wide with the looking, as well.

I serve dreamers like you by meeting them at the boundary between dream and wake. It’s a territory I’ve been mapping for decades, a place where I’m known and I know.

My passport is cluttered with stamps from this territory. I’ll can tell you some of the best routes in and out again. (What you do while you’re there–that’s for you to figure. And I can’t wait to hear about your adventures on your return.)

I remind you that there’s a sword in your scabbard. (You tend to forget that from time to time, and you come to me quaking.)

I point out that the dragon is working for you, not the other way around.

I promise you that you didn’t just imagine the treasure, it’s really there.

I love the adventure. I love the dreamer and the dragon both.

That’s how I help.

ZzzZZzzZ

Ready for your adventure? Let’s talk. I’ve got my guidebook, I’ve got some maps. I’ve got some pens so you can draw your own.

zzZZzzZZ

Today’s post is in response to the question “Who do I serve and how do I serve them?” The question was posed by Chris Brogan as part of #Quest2016, where Jeffrey Davis of Tracking Wonder is our guide.