How to Reverse Engineer Your Dream Lifestyle Using Your Business as the Engine

We don’t start businesses just to own businesses.

We start them because we want freedom.

Freedom of time.

Freedom of choice.

Freedom to spend life on what actually matters, our families, our health, our mission.

But somewhere along the way, most business owners get stuck inside the thing they built.

Working longer hours. Carrying more stress. Losing the very freedom they set out to create.

This post is about fixing that, by showing you how to reverse-engineer your ideal life, and then build your business to fund it.

I call this the DGLPA Framework, and it’s the same process I walk through with clients (and use in my own life) to reclaim clarity, control, and momentum.

Step 1: DREAM — What Do You Really Want?

Don’t start with what’s realistic.

Start with what’s worth it.

What does your ideal day look like? Who are you with? What do you work on? What don’t you do anymore?

Forget the filters. Write it down, raw and unapologetic.

This isn’t fluff. It’s your compass.

“You get to determine what success actually looks like. Not Instagram. Not your industry. You.”

Step 2: GOAL — Translate Dreams Into Targets

Now it’s time to get specific.

Take those dreams and set SMART goals:

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Results-focused

• Time-bound

We move from 30-year visions → to 10-year → to 3-year → to 1-year → to 90-day targets.

Each one should move you closer to your dream, while revealing the gaps in your current reality.

Step 3: LEARN — Identify the Growth Gap

Every next level of life and business demands a next level of you.

Ask:

“What do I need to learn to reach these goals?”

Sometimes it’s a skill (like pricing or hiring).

Other times it’s mindset, discipline, or delegation.

If your goals don’t require new growth, they’re not goals, they’re checklists.

Step 4: PLAN — Turn Vision into a Playbook

Now we build the plan. 90-day sprints. 1-year roadmaps. 3-year targets.

You don’t need to know every step. You just need to know the next one, and track progress as you go.

The key here is sequencing. You can do anything… but not everything at once.

Step 5: ACT — Do the Work. Adjust as Needed.

Execution is where 99% of people stall. But here’s the truth:

A B-minus plan executed will always beat the A-plus plan still sitting in your notes app.

Track it. Tweak it. Stay in motion.

Now Let’s Talk Money

Because your dream life has a price tag.

Once you’ve got clarity on the life you want, it’s time to assign numbers to it.

Here’s how we break it down:

1. Calculate your Ideal Life Cost

2. Work Backward from Business Profit

3. Translate Profit to Revenue

4. Break That Down into Activities

This isn’t guesswork—it’s a blueprint.

You’re not just chasing growth.

You’re building your freedom number.

The Real Point of This Framework

It’s not just about vision boards or spreadsheets.

It’s about reclaiming the reason you started.

When your business becomes the vehicle to fund your ideal life, on your terms, you stop building someone else’s version of success.

You define it.

You fund it.

You live it.

Want Help Mapping This Out?

If you’re ready to put this into practice, with support, accountability, and a proven process, join us for two weeks of free business coaching here:

👉 https://ctx.actioncoachcentraltx.com/2-weeks-free-coaching

You can also watch the full video breakdown on YouTube:

🎥 Transform Business Profits Into Personal Freedom

Or catch the podcast episode here:

🎧 Listen on The Ownership Advantage