Where to Now?

Today begins the first in a series of blogs from a book we have in our bookstore. The book title is "Destined to Succeed." This book provides a guideline for achieving success in your life; however, you might uniquely define success, e.g., having a certain income, a home, a happy family, achieving a goal, or simply being at peace with yourself and your life.

The Principle of Intentionality states that what occurs in your life is what you intend to happen. Quite simply, it means whatever is the present state of your life is what you are intending to have. This is a very difficult principle to accept. But it forces us to view the state of our lives from the standpoint of what is rather than what we say we want.

I remember early in my career I kept telling others that I wanted to write and publish a book. When I began to notice that no one really believed me, I had this realization that "seeing is believing." I simply had nothing to show for my statements about wiring. Which meant, I would have to get serious and begin to "put pen to paper," if I really meant to write.

It was only then I learned that had fears about writing. "Could I write so others could understand and enjoy my work?" "Did I have the discipline to stick with it to completion?" "What if no one was interested in my ideas?" I remember the saying, "It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubts." And on and on the list went as I began to explore my own self-limiting programming.

It was then I discovered why I had not written anything up to that time. I would have to face my hidden fears about myself. My real intention was not to write. My real intention was to protect myself from learning whether any or all of my beliefs above (fears) would come true! I realized then that I had the opportunity to change my intention. But it would involve risking. But it also involved learning. I chose to risk and learn.

So, if there is something you really want in your life and you have not begun to accomplish it, you might consider the following steps to change your intention and take action!

1) Write what it is you want to have as simple statement. (so someone else could understand it)

2) As you visualize yourself taking action to acomplish it, quickly begin to write the fears and the corresponding beliefs that are unique to you.

3) Examine the consequences if the fears were true. (worse case senario) They rarely are true.

4) Then begin behaving consistent with your goal. Even better, begin behaving as though the you have already achieved your goal!

When your fears surface, you will know you are engaging the process of overcoming them. Stick with the process. Your fears will gradually subside. Tust me! (smile)

Next: Principle Two