When we're young, we view the future as a realm of endless possibilities, limited only by our imaginations. As we grow older and spend a few years in the workforce, though, it seems as though we lose our ability to dream big. Or perhaps we can dream, but we see the dream as elusive and beyond our grasp. We may engage in a series of "what if" thoughts, but think of them in the same way we think about what we would do if we won the lottery. The truth is, we each have the ability to claim our dreams as our own. Having a home based business can allow you to not only recapture that dream, but to turn that dream into reality.

Although not everyone is born to be an entrepreneur, you can learn the skills needed to own a home based business. The Small Business Association, for example, has an abundance of resources that will teach you everything from how to write a business plan to how to market that business to your target customers. The Internal Revenue Service has a variety of publications that will help you learn the ins and outs of taxes for small businesses. And your local city or county probably has a website outlining any necessary permits, along with downloadable forms to get you started.

What you can't learn from any of these sites is how to dream big and keep that dream alive. Although every successful entrepreneur has his or her own strategy, here are some suggestions to get you started.

* Define your dream. Perhaps your dream is to have enough passive income so that you only have to work six months out of the year. Maybe you want to earn enough money so you can retire at the age of 50. Perhaps your dream is something more tangible, such as making enough money to buy the boat you've always wanted, or to earn enough extra income to invest in a rental property. When you define your dream, you make it more real, and therefore increase the likelihood that you will achieve it.

* Paint a picture. Or design a mural. Or cut pictures out of magazines and pin them on a bulletin board. The point is to translate your goals - your dreams - into something you can see every day. Keeping a visual representation of your dream in front of you will help keep you motivated. Everyone goes through times when they're discouraged, but if you can look up and remember why you've taken the path of becoming a home based business owner, you're more likely to stay on the straight and narrow.

* Follow your passion. If your home based business is something you hate, you're not going to stick with it and it won't lead you to your dream. If, on the other hand, you love what you do, you'll get up each morning with the excitement of knowing that you're one step closer to making your big dream a reality. Explore all the avenues of home based business opportunities, and select the one that makes the most sense for you. Whether you're seeking passive income or want to actively work your home based business, you can't go wrong if you follow your passion.