The most important question you need to ask yourself
“Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives”
Tony Robbins
Today, we live in the world of uncertainty and constant interruptions. What is important often gets neglected. What is urgent and often poorly planned, gets our undeserved attention.
It often seems people deal with whatever comes their way, re-actively. What we desire is a positive change. We often need it urgently but don’t devote time for thinking and reinvention, and are seldom prepared to do whatever it takes…
There is a lot of confusion, hit-and-miss attempts, shattered dreams and underachieving stories. Wherever you go, no matter the area of life it is self-evident. In the search for safety and certainty people lose their compass, get derailed and eventually slowly assimilate into the masses by losing identity, edge and resources. When desire and hope disappear, what is left is bitterness, cynicism and emptiness.
“Desire is the essence of a man.”
Baruch Spinoza
There must be a positive drive, belief and desire to do something for results to be accomplished anywhere.
I am not certain why the reverse occurs. Whether it is because we don’t pay attention, we have wrong priorities, perhaps our approach gets undisciplined and unfocused so that we quit easily, or there may be more to the story. Some would say that people’s lives are programmed and that there is only a limited maneuvering opportunity once the “machine” takes it over. It may be that we spread ourselves thin, we lose passion and become generalists, trained to belong, trained to fit in.
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine; and at last you create what you will”
George Bernard Shaw
The Craziness of our realities suppresses our imagination…we forget to fight for our dream, we wish for an easy road instead of doing whatever it takes for what we stand for. For what matters to us. For who we are…For living, on our own terms.
And time is the poorest of all allies and as money cruel master…
You may agree or disagree with me but one thing which is certain is constant pressure in a form of demand for your time, attention, presence and performance. Working on someone else’s goals, achieving someone else’s vision. Attending to the priorities of others. Doing something to survive…While selling ourselves short.
Now you may think about what this has to do with the title of this post. Trust me, I had to begin with what I think is the core issue. When you really, really think about it, is there a more strategic question you could possibly ask yourself than how do I want to live my life aligned to my core priorities?
And then do some real thinking by clarifying and defining what drives you…
- What is really important to you and why?
- Why that and not something else?
- Is it absolutely necessary for you to get it and how do you know it?
- If you get it how would you benefit?
- If you don’t, what would be the consequence?
To quantify and clarify the want one must define a desire, the “story behind all stories”, a big unifying reason why. Whether or not we get what we want is often based upon the strength of our desires, quality of thinking and persistent efforts in a form of strategies and actions towards our vision.
“Those who cannot tell what they desire or expect, still sigh and struggle with indefinite thoughts and vast wishes”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I know many will probably argue with this statement, but in some strange way, there is a part of me that truly believes that we all get what we want and desire. If you really had a burning desire to change your reality, a real want and the real reason behind it, you would do it, right?
Well, I’d like to think so. People say if you must, you must and it’s not hard…
What is important here is that some people are more receptive and therefore act faster than others, with more force, totally focused and with more determination. You may say some of us want it more than others…
Now if you’re convinced that it’s about time you actually start changing your reality by both wanting and doing more; then allow me to share three simple concepts with you that will certainly propel you in the right direction.
Precision is gold. Know what you want.
If I can give you a business or a personal growth concept that is most potent to make you successful it will be this one: know what you want all the time.
Because If you don’t know what you want and where you are going how can you do all that it takes to get it? No, really. Do you believe that you have any chance whatsoever of getting something spectacular or finishing in a style if you don’t know what that is?
Trust me; you don’t succeed by wandering around, hanging there and hoping for the best…
Honestly, are you willing to place a bet on yourself? You against the challenges…only you and your dream against the mountains.
The sad reality of life is the fact that the majority of people in this world don’t know what they want. Even sadder is the fact that this is the way most people prefer it. I am not saying they intentionally want it this way.
“The big thing is that you know what you want”
Earl Nightingale
If you aren’t actively pursuing your own wants and desires, chances are that you will become a statistic of unfulfillment. Always remember that your employer, government, financial institutions, family and peer groups will all be trying to shape your life according to their wants, not yours.
You will either fit in, or they will find someone to replace you. And you will work on their goals, not yours while making their vision possible…
Always be clear about what is it really that you are trading your dreams and aspirations for.
Be unreasonable. Work like a maniac for what you want.
Once you define what it is you want, you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and put some effort to make it come your way!
Can you imagine planning, reading, learning and crafting a strategy, but not actually working on it? What are your chances of achieving your objectives? Yes, you have no chance!
If you decided what you want, you must protect your dreams and aspirations by building a strong supportive foundation around them. This includes removing roadblocks, preventing events that may put your dreams off the course and involving others that may help you. Inspiring them to contribute by creating strong causes. When you do this, you will find that people willingly conspire in assisting you to achieve your vision.
“Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work”
Vince Lombardi
No person reaches their goals individually. If you scratch the surface, it is always a joint effort, teamwork and some level of synergy.
Believe in your own strengths. Expect to win with what you have.
It is also very important that you start to develop the belief that you just expect to win at everything you work for. When you set your brain a task or embed an expectation, it will naturally seek a favourable resolution and just the right amount of effort and dedication to get you over the line.
Why not put this concept into practice in other areas of your life? You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results!
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength”
Jatin Thukral
Success always has a price! In one way or another, you will have to pay for it. Unfortunately, there are no free rides, shortcuts, quick wins and overnight fairy tales. No. Never was, never will be.
It is that simple. Know, work, believe…Logical sequence, like walking and running. One must precede. If you try to violate the order, your dream will disappear and with it all your great intentions. So decide what you want and plan it, work for it hard and believe you can get it with all you’ve got. This sequence is about paying the price. Nothing comes to you without sacrifices and planning.
“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand”
Vince Lombardi
And this is by all means the only secret of winning. Planned sacrifices, dedication and discipline, accompanied with beliefs and persistence… You must pay the price.
So really, what is it that you really, really want?