When Sarah was just a small child, she was very
curious and had a strong will. With a big world to explore, she got into
everything—from pulling out the linens in the closet to feel how the various
materials rubbed against her skin, to tugging up the flowers in the garden to
find out how deep the roots went. Sarah was definitely a handful of energy as
she plunged headfirst into whatever she had decided to do.
Rather than asking Sarah why she did the things she
did, her parents felt that discipline would set her straight. So, with stern
voices they would chastise her, rather than seek to understand her:
Don’t touch that!
Stay out of there!
Don’t do that!
You should be ashamed of yourself, Sarah!
To avoid being reprimanded, Sarah quickly learned
how to do the things that her parents wanted her to do, rather than those that
she wanted for herself. As she grew older, this way of living—operating to
satisfy others at her own expense—became the norm and she forgot the simple
joys of making up her own mind about what she wanted to do and how she wanted
to do it.
Does this story sound familiar to you?
Can you relate with the way Sarah began to live her
parent’s vision for her life—or rather was limited by their lack of
vision—instead of deciding what she wanted from life and who she truly wanted
to be? Her early childhood programming got in the way of discovering what she
really wanted in life.
Deciding What You Want
To find
success, you not only have to know where you are now, but you also need to know
where you want to end up. You need to be able to imagine what that place—your
place of success, that place you want to be in life—feels like, sounds like,
smells like, tastes like. You need to clarify your destination so you will be
sure to know it when you arrive.
Clarifying exactly what you want in life is no easy
task. As it guides you to a more refined sense of self-awareness, The
Success Principles™ offers a wealth of wonderful suggestions to help you on
your journey. Here is a sampling of ways to help you decide what you want from
your life.
Stop Settling for “I Don’t Care, I Don’t Know, and
It Doesn’t Matter to Me.”
It doesn’t matter how small the decision, to begin
reclaiming your right to decide what you want, have a preference. Yours is just
as important as anybody else’s so speak up, voice yourself.
30-30-30
If you are having a hard time figuring out the one
thing you want from your life, why not choose thirty? That’s right. On a piece
of paper, write down a list of 30 things you want to do, 30 things you want to
have, and 30 things you want be before you die. Sometimes when the pressure to
find just one thing is removed, the floodgates open and you discover that there
are a multitude of things that you want to do with and in your successful life.
Make an “I want” List
For 10-15 minutes have a friend record your answers
to the simple question, “What do you want?” During the allotted time, have your
friend ask you the question over and over again. If you’re like most people,
your list will range from the very material things to matters of the heart and
the true revelations of who you are and what you want from your most true self.
Go ahead, start asking: What do you want? What do you want? I want! I want!
Don’t Worry, The Money Will Come
Is worrying about making a living keeping you from
deciding upon what you want in life? Are you afraid that you won’t be able to
survive if you follow your bliss? Make a list of 20 things you absolutely love
to do. Then, try and imagine ways you can make a living doing these things. For
example, if you love books, you could be a writer, a librarian, a clerk in a
bookstore, a teacher, a desktop publisher, and on and on. Don’t worry—you can
do it. You only have to believe, trust, and act.
Dream Big
When you are deciding what you want from your life,
there is no reason to think small. Take a risk and dream big, shoot for the
stars. This is your opportunity to write the script to your life—you are the
star, not a bit player. Have the courage to write the role of a lifetime and,
imagine this, yours will be the name shining on the marquee for all to see.
Dream big because amazing things can and do happen to people just like you each
and every day!
Share Your Vision—It Will Help You See
When you share your vision of success with trusted
others, family and close friends, you will gain the support of your loved ones.
In addition, each time you verbalize your goals, you are affirming to yourself
and the universe that you know what you want in life, where you want to go, and
that you are deserving of the successes you will find when you arrive.
Don’t delay. Decide what you want and begin
transforming your life starting today!
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