Will you go to the Grave with regrets about what you didn’t accomplish in this lifetime? While accumulating material possessions and crap may be an endless unfulfilled goal, obtaining them, gaining character and seeing what you’re really made of maximizes your capacity and expands your life condition, ultimately leading to a more rich and fulfilled life. In Buddhism this is termed, “Earthly Desires are Enlightenment,” simply because these earthly desires push us to overcome our limitations. Once we obtain earthly possessions we more often than not will realize the happiness doesn’t last long enough and begin to seek deeper more fulfilling paths of service to others.
So what is the number 1 reason people don’t’ get what they want? Simple.. its because they don’t know what they want. They simply aren’t clear. Writing down what you want and placing a deadline on it can be a bit scary at first, but the beauty is that is makes you commit to making it come true. Even better is if you tell your friends and family to hold you accountable by telling them about it as well. Below is a little worksheet I created from the various personal development and goal workshops I’ve been to throughout the years. Try it out and see if you can’t reach past your current limitations. Remember.. its better to have tried and failed than to have not tried at all and go to the grave with regrets.
Gaining Clarity And Leverage
1) Gain Clarity through future pacing. Write down the result you want in a statement below as if it has already happened. For example: “It is September 2011 and I’ve managed to start a new business doing what I’ve always loved. The business is profitable to the tune of $5,000 per month.”
2) Toward & Away From Conflicts. Write down the top 3 reasons why you want this goal or dream. What will you get? Remember to move towards something great and chunk up, so once you come up with an answer ask yourself again “what will that give you?” For example: “This will help me gain financial independence so I can respect myself and thereby respect others and contribute to the world.”
3) Pain Motivation. Write down the top 2 things that are most disturbing about not having this dream or goal. For example: If I don’t do this I will live my entire life without doing what I really love and I will have immense regret.
4) Pattern Interruption. Write down what you typically do to forget about the pain of not having this dream. If it’s a new goal write what you would typically do. For example: I eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, I go shopping, I organize my desk, etc.
5) Values & Beliefs Elicitation. What are your beliefs that prevented you from having this in the past? For example: “I used to believe that exercise was painful, I used to believe that people wouldn’t like me if I was successful, I used to believe I was too old, I used to believe that I don’t have enough time.
6) Reconditioning new beliefs. What are the new beliefs that will replace your old limiting beliefs? For example: “I now believe that exercise is pure happiness, I believe that I will like myself more if I’m successful and as a result more people will like me, I believe that I can inspire others with my success that age doesn’t matter, I believe that time is equal for everyone and I will make time.
Action Plan “Without a plan there will be no result!” Tony Robbins
1) 24 Hr Action
Write down what action you will take in the next 24 hours. Be specific, For example: “I will buy a book and read the first chapter, make two phone calls, etc.” “I will go home and throw away all the carbs and unhealthy food in my kitchen.”
2) Pick Your First Weekly Action.
Chunk down your goal into its major tasks then write down what consistent action you will take every week to achieve “ONE or TWO” of these items. Be specific about how many days a week and at what time you will take action towards its success.. For example: “I will study the market and identify possible business locations every Wednesday at 2pm to 3pm until I find the right place.”
3) Post Your Goal & Plan
Take your two sheets competed today and put them on your refrigerator or place of meditation and review them daily. Remember: What You Focus On Expands!