Imagine it’s one year from today and it’s been the most WONDERFUL, SUCCESSFUL, FULFILLING year of your life so far. What has happened?
- Can you describe how it feels?
- Can you look back and see the massive actions that you took?
- The obstacles you overcame?
- The people who supported you?
What if I gave you a piece of paper or voice recorder, could you look back a year from today and vividly describe your BEST YEAR SO FAR?
Most people cannot. I must confess that I am sometimes one of those people.
If you are reading this newsletter, you are a leader in some way… maybe an executive who proactively sets the direction for an entire company or you are a program or project manager who sets the direction for an entire team of people and thousands if not millions of dollars. Or, maybe you are a mom or dad that coordinates and plans all of the kids’ activities and taxi needs. You probably know exactly how to perform the tasks necessary to create a detailed plan for your organization or family, yet you often fail to proactively create one for the most important person on the planet… YOU!
Why? I mean, it’s obvious that you know the value of planning and then executing to that plan. Why are you able to do it for others and you don’t do this for yourself? That’s not a rhetorical question. Let’s answer it.
Why don’t we do the things that we know we should do?
I believe it’s because we are what we repeatedly do and we become what we repeatedly think. If you don’t repeatedly think about who you are, who you want to be and become, where you want to go, and what you want to do then it’s hard to take the actions, like proactively planning, that will get you out of the habit.
The amazing thing about being human is that you don’t have to do what you’ve always done. You can choose today to shift gears and take one step in a different direction. You can choose to write out what your best year so far will look like from one year in the future.
(You may notice that I don’t call it your best year “ever” as most folks do. Why? Because I believe that even if this next year is your best ever, it won’t be after the following year. You can make every year better than the last one. Your best year EVER… well, it may be years or decades from next year.)
“But what if I already have more than I ever dreamed of having?”
Have you ever felt this way? I know I have. I never imagined going to the places I’ve visited and doing the things that I’ve done thus far in my life. I didn’t know I could be this happy (especially during those tumultuous teenage years). Sometimes, I can’t believe it, yet it’s true. I have the pictures and t-shirts to prove it.
How did these things that were beyond my childhood dreams even happen? The answer is that I wanted them to happen. And, just because they have happened, doesn’t mean I should stop wanting more experiences. Just because you’ve surpassed your wildest childhood dreams doesn’t mean that you can’t create more, wilder dreams as an adult.
I truly believe what an ancient wise man once said…
If you aren’t dreaming, you’re dying.
- What experiences does your heart still desire?
- What dreams did the younger you have that can still bring you joy?
- What goals have you previously brushed aside that may be fulfilling?
- When you imagine your best year so far, what wants do you have?
- What experiences would make your life even better?
Learning to WANT again
In my coaching practice, I have found over 65% of folks have forgotten how to want. I know that may sound silly, but it’s true. I’ve found plenty of people who “want to want.”
Here’s an example from my life: I tell folks that I want to learn to play the guitar. I’ve wanted to learn this for decades since I was a Girl Scout singing around the campfire. However, the truth is, I want to want to play the guitar. Why do I say that? Well, let’s look at the actions I need to take to learn to play.
- First, I need to buy a guitar or at least rent one. Do I have the time, ability, and resources to do that? Yes.
- Next, I need to find someone to teach me. Do I have the time, ability, and resources to do that? Yes.
- OK, then I just need to find the time and book the sessions. Do I have the time, ability, and resources to do that? Yes.
So, do I really “want” to play the guitar or do I just want to want to play the guitar? I reckon it’s the latter. It would be nice to be able to play the guitar but I’m afraid I don’t really want to at this time.
How do you learn to want again?
Do you remember what you wanted as a child? Do you remember hearing the ice cream truck a few blocks away tantalizing you with that music box song? Did you get what you wanted? If you’re like me, some times you did and some times you didn’t. In either case, there may have come a point in your life where you might have associated wanting with the pain of not getting. So, in order to avoid the pain, you start to avoid the wanting.
Now, whether you are aware of it or not, you unintentionally experience the pain of not wanting and not getting. You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take. What if you put your hopes out there and started wanting again? What’s the worse that could happen?
If you’d like to learn to want again or at least start that process, I will show you exactly how to do that in my upcoming webinar: “Learning to Want More: Your Keys to Living an Extraordinary Life”
How do ordinary people become extraordinary?
Not by accident but by intention. They live proactively instead of reactively. They MAKE the time to think, dream, want, plan, and take action on their future.
Give yourself time to THINK, time to DREAM and to WANT, and time to CREATE your future. As human beings, we create everything twice… once in our mind and once in reality. What reality are you creating?
Action Steps
Pull up your calendar. (Yes, right now.) Now, block off an hour of time (it may be all at once or in 15-minute increments) where you take time to answer one question for yourself…
Imagine it’s one year from today and it’s been the most
WONDERFUL, SUCCESSFUL, FULFILLING
year of your life so far.
What has happened?
Describe your wants and desires in great detail. Don’t analyze, judge, or criticize! Don’t try to figure out how, just write. Create a vision in your mind, want big, and then start a plan out one small step in the direction of your future and create in your reality.
Here’s to an amazing year!!!
Don’t forget to register for my upcoming web event!!