Ever had one of those days where a theme or point keeps recurring. For my wife and I we generally accept those as God's way of confirming whatever He's initially been telling us.
Yesterday was one of those days.
The point, which came up in conversations, facebook posts, over-heard conversations, and other means was this: If you really want to change the standard of living you're enjoying you have to be willing to extend yourself to do more, be more, take more risk. You can't keep doing what you're doing now and expect to get a new result. You have to play at a whole new level. And that - comes with sacrifice. So what and how much are you willing to scarifice in order to achieve your goals?
My wife and I are currently in the last stages of developing our ten and one year plans. Looking at the goals I have set for myself, it's clear that I am going to have to do a whole lot of stuff I haven't done before. I have to learn new skills, take all sorts of unprecidented actions (for me), and invest a significant amount of time in doing so. I also have to adhere to a high level of excellence and giving more than expected if I hope to rise above the crowd.
To put it simply, if I want to donate a minimum two hours a day to work on my new ventures - that time has to come from somewhere.
Problem is I already feel I don't have any spare time. It's been weeks since I've even gotten to play on my beloved Wii (actually, I did play for 90 minutes the other day when I couldn't sleep at 4am but that's been it). Any time I take to put towards achieving my goals will without question be taken directly from time with my family. Which is a bit of a conflict because developing stronger family and marriage ties is one of my major goals.
Also, how badly do I want to achieve these goals? It's all well and good to say 'I want X amount of money in X time.' But what are you going to do to achieve that? Are you willing to invest the time, the energy and the effort - all of course without any guarantee of initial success.
Now some might say, 'You don't need to work harder, just 'intend it', use 'Law of Attraction.'' Or God will provide, just ask in prayer and have faith. To the latter, I have always found that God rewards those that walk in faith - not sit in faith. IE: Your actions have to be congruent with what you're asking for. If you want to earn an extra million, then you have to start acting and being like someone who's worth a million and that included doing actions that will reasonally produce millions. God will handle the details and unseen opportunities from there.
For those 'Law of Attraction' folks, it's the same deal. BE that which you seek to attract. BE a vibrational match. Sure Jack Canfield used 'Law of Attraction' but if you've ever heard him talk about Chicken Soup for the Soul in other interviews, you know he and Mark Victor Hanson busted their asses for a couple years to get that book noticed. It didn't just 'magically' and effortlessly happen like 'The Secret' makes it seem.
Generally that's always the case. Virtually all 'overnight' sensations didn't have overnight success. They earned it through years of relentless effort. By striving their very best to always be the very best until the world finally noticed.
Personally, it's all God to me, it's just a different way of looking at it. Except being a Christian, God speaks to me (at times) and I strive to obey and that works a lot better than trying to get the Universe to obey me (and missing opportunity that's being provided because it didn't match my expectation). God know's my intent, and prepares the way, but not when it's not in my best interest or I'm not ready. In the latter case, he works on me until I am. At any rate, I digress....
I don't think it's a question of 'IF' I can achieve the lofty goals I set. I believe it. It's hard to imagine, but I've seen enough 'miracles' to not question that a way will present itself if I present myself as ready.
It's a matter of 'WILL I'? Am I willing to push myself that hard, that long for that end? Does it mean enough to me to sacrifice time with my family and my time alone? Does the end justify the means?
The reason most people aren't rich is not because they can't be. It's because they simply aren't willing to take the necessary actions to become rich. It's like bodybuilding. Anyone (barring medical reasons) could be a bodybuilder with immense arms and chest (respective to their sex) but how many of us are? Very few. Why? Because we can't be bothered. We don't precieve the value of being that muscular to the effort required to get there. Same thing with bodybuilding their finances. It's possible, but we don't preceive the value of being that rich as worth the effort to get there. If you did, then you'd be there (or well on your way) already. There's a lot of reasons for us to not see that value equation, but that's another topic.
If I'm rambling here it's because I'm in part writting this to help me sort this out in my own head.
I'm realizing that I've got to change to nature of my goals. Currently I'm saying I want to earn $250,000.00 by helping people with exceptional online health or wellness advice and materials but money is not a major draw for me. I need to flip it around, I'm going to help over 100,000 people with online materials or programs earning at least a quarter million dollars in the process. The money is more of a bonus and a measurement than a goal in and of itself. I'm more motivated to help others than to help myself.
Another thought rambling around in my head is that when I was a single parent, I largely put my life and ambitions on hold and put seeing about my child first. What I felt was the most alteristic thing to do. However, since then I dated a lawyer who, as a single parent of two, put herself through law school. While she envied the time I was able to spend with my kids, I marvelled at how well her kids came out with only a part-time mom. If they'd suffered it wasn't evident and they certainly weren't suffering now that she was a partner at a law firm. Yes, she was still away from home a lot and no it didn't matter. They totally respected her, as my son did me. It made me totally rethink my life and I swore to do things differently should I ever be in the same situation.
Now I have a family and young son again, so why am I worried about not spending time with them? My wife already noted that they got along just fine before I entered their lives. Perhaps it's just easier for me to play the role I know. But doing so will lead to vastly unsatisfactory results. So what's my hesistation to embracing the effort necessary to succeed at my goals? Failing? It really doesn't matter if I fall short, the effort would make me a better person. It wouldn't be the first goal I fell short on, nor the first I accomplished (made last year's!). Succeeding? Hmmm.. succeeding would require me to be living a very different life than I do now. That is outside my comfort zone. But like hell I want to be a slave to my comfort zone. Getting out of my comfort zone is reason enough to 'just do it'.
Having gotten all my random thoughts nailed down this way helps paint a different picture. Not making the needed sacrifices and doing my best to achieve my goals will lead to a lot of pain. I cannot be in this same spot next year and be happy. There is really nothing to lose in trying. My wife and family will totally support me. Achieving these goals I've set would give me a huge feeling of satisfaction and in fact bring a lot of joy to others, my family included. It's time to start pumping up some 'muscles'. :)
And making some time for my Wii. Gotta have a little fun time.
Looking forward to it!
Yesterday was one of those days.
The point, which came up in conversations, facebook posts, over-heard conversations, and other means was this: If you really want to change the standard of living you're enjoying you have to be willing to extend yourself to do more, be more, take more risk. You can't keep doing what you're doing now and expect to get a new result. You have to play at a whole new level. And that - comes with sacrifice. So what and how much are you willing to scarifice in order to achieve your goals?
My wife and I are currently in the last stages of developing our ten and one year plans. Looking at the goals I have set for myself, it's clear that I am going to have to do a whole lot of stuff I haven't done before. I have to learn new skills, take all sorts of unprecidented actions (for me), and invest a significant amount of time in doing so. I also have to adhere to a high level of excellence and giving more than expected if I hope to rise above the crowd.
To put it simply, if I want to donate a minimum two hours a day to work on my new ventures - that time has to come from somewhere.
Problem is I already feel I don't have any spare time. It's been weeks since I've even gotten to play on my beloved Wii (actually, I did play for 90 minutes the other day when I couldn't sleep at 4am but that's been it). Any time I take to put towards achieving my goals will without question be taken directly from time with my family. Which is a bit of a conflict because developing stronger family and marriage ties is one of my major goals.
Also, how badly do I want to achieve these goals? It's all well and good to say 'I want X amount of money in X time.' But what are you going to do to achieve that? Are you willing to invest the time, the energy and the effort - all of course without any guarantee of initial success.
Now some might say, 'You don't need to work harder, just 'intend it', use 'Law of Attraction.'' Or God will provide, just ask in prayer and have faith. To the latter, I have always found that God rewards those that walk in faith - not sit in faith. IE: Your actions have to be congruent with what you're asking for. If you want to earn an extra million, then you have to start acting and being like someone who's worth a million and that included doing actions that will reasonally produce millions. God will handle the details and unseen opportunities from there.
For those 'Law of Attraction' folks, it's the same deal. BE that which you seek to attract. BE a vibrational match. Sure Jack Canfield used 'Law of Attraction' but if you've ever heard him talk about Chicken Soup for the Soul in other interviews, you know he and Mark Victor Hanson busted their asses for a couple years to get that book noticed. It didn't just 'magically' and effortlessly happen like 'The Secret' makes it seem.
Generally that's always the case. Virtually all 'overnight' sensations didn't have overnight success. They earned it through years of relentless effort. By striving their very best to always be the very best until the world finally noticed.
Personally, it's all God to me, it's just a different way of looking at it. Except being a Christian, God speaks to me (at times) and I strive to obey and that works a lot better than trying to get the Universe to obey me (and missing opportunity that's being provided because it didn't match my expectation). God know's my intent, and prepares the way, but not when it's not in my best interest or I'm not ready. In the latter case, he works on me until I am. At any rate, I digress....
I don't think it's a question of 'IF' I can achieve the lofty goals I set. I believe it. It's hard to imagine, but I've seen enough 'miracles' to not question that a way will present itself if I present myself as ready.
It's a matter of 'WILL I'? Am I willing to push myself that hard, that long for that end? Does it mean enough to me to sacrifice time with my family and my time alone? Does the end justify the means?
The reason most people aren't rich is not because they can't be. It's because they simply aren't willing to take the necessary actions to become rich. It's like bodybuilding. Anyone (barring medical reasons) could be a bodybuilder with immense arms and chest (respective to their sex) but how many of us are? Very few. Why? Because we can't be bothered. We don't precieve the value of being that muscular to the effort required to get there. Same thing with bodybuilding their finances. It's possible, but we don't preceive the value of being that rich as worth the effort to get there. If you did, then you'd be there (or well on your way) already. There's a lot of reasons for us to not see that value equation, but that's another topic.
If I'm rambling here it's because I'm in part writting this to help me sort this out in my own head.
I'm realizing that I've got to change to nature of my goals. Currently I'm saying I want to earn $250,000.00 by helping people with exceptional online health or wellness advice and materials but money is not a major draw for me. I need to flip it around, I'm going to help over 100,000 people with online materials or programs earning at least a quarter million dollars in the process. The money is more of a bonus and a measurement than a goal in and of itself. I'm more motivated to help others than to help myself.
Another thought rambling around in my head is that when I was a single parent, I largely put my life and ambitions on hold and put seeing about my child first. What I felt was the most alteristic thing to do. However, since then I dated a lawyer who, as a single parent of two, put herself through law school. While she envied the time I was able to spend with my kids, I marvelled at how well her kids came out with only a part-time mom. If they'd suffered it wasn't evident and they certainly weren't suffering now that she was a partner at a law firm. Yes, she was still away from home a lot and no it didn't matter. They totally respected her, as my son did me. It made me totally rethink my life and I swore to do things differently should I ever be in the same situation.
Now I have a family and young son again, so why am I worried about not spending time with them? My wife already noted that they got along just fine before I entered their lives. Perhaps it's just easier for me to play the role I know. But doing so will lead to vastly unsatisfactory results. So what's my hesistation to embracing the effort necessary to succeed at my goals? Failing? It really doesn't matter if I fall short, the effort would make me a better person. It wouldn't be the first goal I fell short on, nor the first I accomplished (made last year's!). Succeeding? Hmmm.. succeeding would require me to be living a very different life than I do now. That is outside my comfort zone. But like hell I want to be a slave to my comfort zone. Getting out of my comfort zone is reason enough to 'just do it'.
Having gotten all my random thoughts nailed down this way helps paint a different picture. Not making the needed sacrifices and doing my best to achieve my goals will lead to a lot of pain. I cannot be in this same spot next year and be happy. There is really nothing to lose in trying. My wife and family will totally support me. Achieving these goals I've set would give me a huge feeling of satisfaction and in fact bring a lot of joy to others, my family included. It's time to start pumping up some 'muscles'. :)
And making some time for my Wii. Gotta have a little fun time.
Looking forward to it!
