Review: Dream Big Podcast with Bob Goff and Friends

I loved this little podcast. Why? Because it asks us to think about dreaming, and the critical role it plays in our work, our personal lives, and our leadership. 

Bob Goff, the main host, opens with a reflection from years of helping people chase their dreams: ‘A lot of people feel stuck.’

When I think about the churches I’ve been in and led, I agree. People get stuck in jobs, relationships, grief. Sometimes I was stuck. Stuck with a tricky problem, a church-wide disagreement, or a weird, inherited quirk. Stuck. 

Bob seeks to help leaders move forwards. He offers lots of small ideas to help us take just a shuffle forward, to initiate momentum. It doesn’t always begin with a big leap, just a step. I particularly liked his phrase, ‘That’s what a movement is – just a bunch of people making moves.’ That seems achievable in life and in ministry. That feels doable. 

This podcast left me wondering: what would our churches look like if people were unstuck? And what would that mean when we’re gathered for worship? What would it mean for the everyday lives of these disciples of Jesus? What would it look like to make space to hear those stories, inspiring one another with tales of the freedom God has brought us?

Critical to the whole podcast is the role of friendship. While Bob showcases famous friends, he encourages us to lean into our friendships wherever we are. Friends give us permission to ‘go for it’. They journey with us, they laugh, celebrate, and cry with us when we hit setbacks and successes. They help us sustain belief in the vision. It has encouraged me to wonder how we sustain and nourish friendships for ourselves and across our churches. We’re encouraged to be listeners who seek out friendships inside and outside our church communities, and most importantly, seek out friendship with Jesus. 

It’s not all dreaming and optimism. Bob counsels his listeners to expect setbacks. Things won’t always go as you hope, but whether you’re motoring through in a moment of movement or stuck in a season of setbacks, this podcast offers inspiration and encouragement to look at the big dreams and keep going. Like me, you may cherry-pick a few episodes, but even the introduction, it offers plenty of ideas to get the old grey cells lighting up. 

I’m headed off inspired to coffee with a friend.

November 2025 Lead On Review by Jo Trickey, Church Advocate, LICC. You can hear the podcast at bobgoff.com.