Last time we started our success conversation. I said
as much as we would love to think we can control life,
we can’t always. Other circumstances and people affect
our sense of balance, and the successful completion of
our goals and dreams. We can’t wish them away, nor can
we snap our fingers and immediately lose those 15
extra pounds.
But we CAN control a good portion of our success. Rather than focusing
where we have no control (the latest travel
restrictions, the news of bad things happening to
people) let’s focus on what we can do.
We talked about the first “S” in Success = ‘Self Knowledge.’
Know yourself. Pay attention to the threads in your
life and in your goals. Notice what makes your heart
sing. Own it! Live it! Love what you are good at and
take it somewhere!
‘U’ stands for Understand. Understand what you
want: how you define success. Understand what it takes
to get there and commit to that. If you can’t commit
to what it takes, change your definition of success!
Understand how you are getting in your own way. We all do it. We start thinking
‘impossible’ thoughts and we push success away. Think of this: your brain is
like a little child. If you told a child, “You can have this piece of candy.”
The child would move toward it. If, at the last minute, you said, “Nah, you
can’t have it,” the child moves away. Do this about 10 times and you have a
serious psychotherapy bill when they grow up!
What I just described is called “crazymaking.” “Yes you can, no you can’t, yes
you can, are you sure?” If we saw someone doing this, we would rush to protect
the child. Yet, we inflict this on our very soul all the time.
We tell ourselves, “I am going to save and go to Europe for Christmas.” The
moment we set that goal, our crazymaker jumps in. “Well, what about flying? You
could get hurt. It costs too much. Are you sure? Why not just drive to Solvang
in California, that’s like going to the Netherlands. Canada is full of
foreigners, why not go there?”
Suddenly we are talking ourselves OUT of the trip;
out of the goal.
Do this: Write your goals. Understand what it takes
to get them. Commit to the goals. And knock off the
crazymaker talk.
To combat crazyymaking, use a tool I learned from my
friend Jim Rohn:
Say, “What If?” and keep it positive. This has
helped me move away from crazymaking and reach goals
I never thought possible.
What if?
- my flights are pleasant and the wait at the
airport is no bother because of who I meet?
- because I have good intentions and pay
attention, my weight drops a couple of pounds a
month?
- the exact person I need to meet for this
project walks through that door looking for a job?
- my child’s school hires a new teacher that is perfect for my child’s special
needs?
“What if” yourself to success!
Check in next time for the “C’s to success!”
