Today, we are continuing Jack Canfield's study of Success Principle #7. Due to the lengthy content of the lesson, we are taking three days to complete the tasks that he has suggested. Please go back and re-read my November 14 blog to refresh your memory about the concepts that were introduced.
I realize that this lesson contains a large volume of work, and it is going to take you some time to do it thoughtfully. Joe and I are taking a trip for a couple of days. During our travel time, we'll be working on these tasks. We've packed plenty of paper, 3 x 5 cards, and a stack of magazines to cut up.
I want to stress the importance of writing goals that are measurable and contain an accountability date. It is equally important to dream big dreams that will challenge you to grow. Remember, mastery of life skills is your greatest goal, not just the accumulation of material things.
A good leader never asks her followers to do something that she is not willing or capable of doing herself. I'll be praying for your success as you work through this.
Today's Challenge
Sunday's homework directed you to write down 101 goals for your life. If you haven't finished those yet, now is the time to get them on paper.
When your 101-item list is finished, copy each goal onto a 3 x 5 card. If you hand-write your goals in capital letters, your brain will remember them with greater ease. You will be carrying these with you wherever you go and reviewing them three times daily.
Your original list will go into your Goals Book, which you will be creating on Tuesday. If you type your list and print it out, this step will further cement the ideas into your head.
The Tuesday, November 16 post will not appear until the evening, due to my trip. On Tuesday morning, review the Sunday, November 14 post again so that you can spend some time during the day on your Goals Book. Don't try to finish it all in one day. This is a project that we'll have to keep working on over the next several weeks. Just buy your binder, fill it with sheet protectors, and start looking for magazine images that depict your dreams.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Unleash the Power of Goal Setting
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #7
This principle contains so much homework, I'm going to give readers and myself three days to complete it. On Wednesday, November 17, we'll continue with Success Principle #8.
Today, Jack tells us that whatever goal we give to our subconscious mind, it will work night and day to achieve it. I never realized until this past week how true this is. I've never accomplished so much in so little time.
(1) Figure out how much and by when.
Jack teaches a fundamental concept in this lesson about two criteria that all goals must meet:
*they must be measurable; and
*they must include a specific date and time for completion
If I say that my goal is to lose 10 pounds, no one can prove that by weighing me. I've given no deadline for my goal, so no one can hold me accountable to it.
It is far better to say that I want to weigh 137 pounds by December 15, 2010 at 8:00 am. That way, anyone can meet me on that day and time, stand me on a scale, and prove whether or not I have met my goal.
This type of goal-setting in very familiar to me. As a teacher, I learned it through lesson planning and beginning teacher programs. We were taught to write lesson plans that include specific, measurable goals. That way, if a substitute teacher or a parent questioned the content of a lesson, the goal was always clear. Most importantly, it kept me focused on what I was teaching.
(2) Write your goals, not just vague ideas.
When we write down a goal, we need to be very specific about all aspects of it. If we write vague goals, we will produce vague results.
Here's an example of this. A vague goal says, Someday, I'd like to have a new car. A more specific goal would be, I will enjoy driving my new Chevrolet Camaro with yellow exterior high luster paint, black racing stripe, black leather seats, and manual transmission by January 31, 2011. Now, we can actually visualize the outcome. It's measurable and very specific.
(3) Write it out in detail.
Think of writing down your goals as if you were writing work orders with specifications. Or consider it a clear request that you'd like God to fulfill. Goals that we keep in our heads are far less likely to become reality. When we write them down, we must include exacting details. If we can get a photograph, a magazine picture, or a drawing of what we want; we'll reach our goal even more quickly.
(4) We need goals that stretch us.
The point of making goals is to help us become a master at life. By working to achieve our goals, we should also:
-learn new skills;
-expand our vision;
-build new relationships; and
-overcome fears.
Writing down goals that don't force us to build up our skill set is just a waste of time. For example, if I have already mastered the habit of brushing my teeth every night before bed, it is not worthwhile to include nightly toothbrushing as one of my goals. If routine flossing is a challenge to me, however, I might write that out as a goal.
(5) Create a breakthrough goal.
We can write hundreds of goals for things we would like to achieve before we die. Some, like tooth flossing, may be important to us. However, they are not monumental successes. A breakthrough goal should be one that presents a quantum leap for us. When we achieve it, everything in our lives will shift in a new direction.
For me, publishing a book that becomes a New York Times bestseller would be a breakthrough. That success would catapult me into an entirely new place. I'd have more money to give away, my lifestyle would change, the people I met would be different, and the places I traveled would be exciting to me.
(6) Re-read your goals three times every day.
When we write down our goals and remind ourselves about them every single day, we increase something known as structural tension in our brains. The brain cannot take in a message and do nothing about it. It becomes tensed, like a crouching lion, preparing to pounce on an antelope. Our brain will not rest until it achieves the goal we have set out for it.
Jack instructs readers to write down our goals on 3 x 5 cards. We must read them as soon as we wake up, during a break in the day, and just before falling asleep.
Years ago, I developed the habit of writing what I called prayer cards. I asked each person in the family to write down as many goals as they wanted on a 3 x 5 card. We did this on New Year's Eve, instead of making New Year's resolutions. Every morning at breakfast and again at dinner, I prayed aloud for those goals with my children.
Interestingly, the year that I wrote down that I wanted a godly man to come into my life who would be a gentle husband for me and a loving father for my kids, Joe appeared exactly 21 days later. The mind is far more powerful than we can imagine. And the power of God goes beyond our imaginations.
(7) Create a Goals Book.
I've already described this to you in a previous post, but I labeled it a dream book. It's a three-ring binder with sheet protectors in it. On each page, I have typed out my goals. I've included pictures from magazines or photos of everything I want to have. Jack instructs us to look at this book at least once a day.
One example of this is the statement that I weigh 137 pounds by December 31, 2010. It includes a picture of me at that weight, taken nearly 30 years ago. I've lost almost 15 pounds this year, with only 5 to go.
(8) Carry your most important goal in your wallet.
This should read: I am happy to be _________________ by _______________.
The first blank includes your goal, and the second one includes the date and time. Which goal is my most important one? Not losing 5 pounds. As stated above, my most life-altering goal would be to hit the New York Times Bestseller list. My goal would read like this:
I am happy to be reading my name in the newspaper on the New York Times Bestseller list by December 31, 2011.
(9) One goal is not enough.
Here, Jack really pushes us hard. He directs us to make a list of 101 goals to add to our Goals Book. Every day, we must re-read our list of goals. Whenever we achieve one, we put a check mark in front of it and write Victory! beside it.
I have made the mistake of ripping goal pages out of my book as I have achieved them. It would be far better if I kept track of my victories. This is what builds our self-esteem and keeps us motivated to succeed more.
(10) Write yourself a check.
If we write ourselves a check with the amount of money we want to earn by a certain date, the universe will eventually make that happen. Jack calls us to keep this check in our wallet and look at it daily.
Jim Carrey did this before he was ever discovered as an actor. He wrote himself a check for $10 million and tucked it into his wallet. Before the date on the check, he was paid twice that amount for his first year in movies.
You can find a blank check for this exercise at www.thesecret.com.
(11) Face your considerations, fears, and roadblocks.
There are three obstacles to success, and if we know what they are, we can handle them and keep moving foward on our journey. They are:
-Considerations: reasons why our goal is impossible
-Fears: thoughts of rejection, failure, foolishness
-Roadblocks: mere external circumstances that we must overcome
Jack asks us to welcome these three obstacles, because they represent the things that have been holding us back all along.
For me, the fear of failure is strong. Joe and I have been so broke in the past, I don't ever want to go there again. Sticking out my neck and risking my reputation by writing something that flops really scares me. But I know that if I don't try, I'll never find out that I can achieve my big goal.
External circumstances that have affected my writing are the poor economy and skittishness of agents to take on new writers at this point in time. While these are setbacks to me, I know that they are only temporary. Everyone experiences them. If I realize that and push on, I will make it to my goal of becoming a bestselling author.
(12) Mastery is the goal.
If we think that true success lies in achieving material things, we've completely missed the point. God sets us on earth for a reason, and that is to become a master at life. Christ mastered every skill possible, from changing water into wine to raising the dead to life. We are his hands, and it is up to us to finish his work here.
Isaiah 52:7 reads, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Our God reigns!" When we work to achieve goals based on dreams that God has put in our hearts, we are most beautiful to our maker and to those around us.
(13) Do it now!
Jack provides some startling statistics in this last section:
-3% of the world's super achievers have a purpose statement, keep a vision of their best self in mind, and write out their goals
-1% of top achievers write daily to-do lists based on their goals
Wow! I didn't know that I represented such a small percentage of people in the world. I've been doing some version of this most of my life. Even as a kid, I was writing daily to-do lists. But Jack has helped me to see that I need to stretch myself even more. I've been limiting my brain's abilities, and it's time for new challenges.
Today's Challenge
As I stated at the beginning, this is enough work for the next three days. Start by writing out your list of 101 goals today. On Monday, we'll revisit the creation of your 3 x 5 cards; and on Tuesday, I'll help you get started on your Goals Book.
This principle contains so much homework, I'm going to give readers and myself three days to complete it. On Wednesday, November 17, we'll continue with Success Principle #8.
Today, Jack tells us that whatever goal we give to our subconscious mind, it will work night and day to achieve it. I never realized until this past week how true this is. I've never accomplished so much in so little time.
(1) Figure out how much and by when.
Jack teaches a fundamental concept in this lesson about two criteria that all goals must meet:
*they must be measurable; and
*they must include a specific date and time for completion
If I say that my goal is to lose 10 pounds, no one can prove that by weighing me. I've given no deadline for my goal, so no one can hold me accountable to it.
It is far better to say that I want to weigh 137 pounds by December 15, 2010 at 8:00 am. That way, anyone can meet me on that day and time, stand me on a scale, and prove whether or not I have met my goal.
This type of goal-setting in very familiar to me. As a teacher, I learned it through lesson planning and beginning teacher programs. We were taught to write lesson plans that include specific, measurable goals. That way, if a substitute teacher or a parent questioned the content of a lesson, the goal was always clear. Most importantly, it kept me focused on what I was teaching.
(2) Write your goals, not just vague ideas.
When we write down a goal, we need to be very specific about all aspects of it. If we write vague goals, we will produce vague results.
Here's an example of this. A vague goal says, Someday, I'd like to have a new car. A more specific goal would be, I will enjoy driving my new Chevrolet Camaro with yellow exterior high luster paint, black racing stripe, black leather seats, and manual transmission by January 31, 2011. Now, we can actually visualize the outcome. It's measurable and very specific.
(3) Write it out in detail.
Think of writing down your goals as if you were writing work orders with specifications. Or consider it a clear request that you'd like God to fulfill. Goals that we keep in our heads are far less likely to become reality. When we write them down, we must include exacting details. If we can get a photograph, a magazine picture, or a drawing of what we want; we'll reach our goal even more quickly.
(4) We need goals that stretch us.
The point of making goals is to help us become a master at life. By working to achieve our goals, we should also:
-learn new skills;
-expand our vision;
-build new relationships; and
-overcome fears.
Writing down goals that don't force us to build up our skill set is just a waste of time. For example, if I have already mastered the habit of brushing my teeth every night before bed, it is not worthwhile to include nightly toothbrushing as one of my goals. If routine flossing is a challenge to me, however, I might write that out as a goal.
(5) Create a breakthrough goal.
We can write hundreds of goals for things we would like to achieve before we die. Some, like tooth flossing, may be important to us. However, they are not monumental successes. A breakthrough goal should be one that presents a quantum leap for us. When we achieve it, everything in our lives will shift in a new direction.
For me, publishing a book that becomes a New York Times bestseller would be a breakthrough. That success would catapult me into an entirely new place. I'd have more money to give away, my lifestyle would change, the people I met would be different, and the places I traveled would be exciting to me.
(6) Re-read your goals three times every day.
When we write down our goals and remind ourselves about them every single day, we increase something known as structural tension in our brains. The brain cannot take in a message and do nothing about it. It becomes tensed, like a crouching lion, preparing to pounce on an antelope. Our brain will not rest until it achieves the goal we have set out for it.
Jack instructs readers to write down our goals on 3 x 5 cards. We must read them as soon as we wake up, during a break in the day, and just before falling asleep.
Years ago, I developed the habit of writing what I called prayer cards. I asked each person in the family to write down as many goals as they wanted on a 3 x 5 card. We did this on New Year's Eve, instead of making New Year's resolutions. Every morning at breakfast and again at dinner, I prayed aloud for those goals with my children.
Interestingly, the year that I wrote down that I wanted a godly man to come into my life who would be a gentle husband for me and a loving father for my kids, Joe appeared exactly 21 days later. The mind is far more powerful than we can imagine. And the power of God goes beyond our imaginations.
(7) Create a Goals Book.
I've already described this to you in a previous post, but I labeled it a dream book. It's a three-ring binder with sheet protectors in it. On each page, I have typed out my goals. I've included pictures from magazines or photos of everything I want to have. Jack instructs us to look at this book at least once a day.
One example of this is the statement that I weigh 137 pounds by December 31, 2010. It includes a picture of me at that weight, taken nearly 30 years ago. I've lost almost 15 pounds this year, with only 5 to go.
(8) Carry your most important goal in your wallet.
This should read: I am happy to be _________________ by _______________.
The first blank includes your goal, and the second one includes the date and time. Which goal is my most important one? Not losing 5 pounds. As stated above, my most life-altering goal would be to hit the New York Times Bestseller list. My goal would read like this:
I am happy to be reading my name in the newspaper on the New York Times Bestseller list by December 31, 2011.
(9) One goal is not enough.
Here, Jack really pushes us hard. He directs us to make a list of 101 goals to add to our Goals Book. Every day, we must re-read our list of goals. Whenever we achieve one, we put a check mark in front of it and write Victory! beside it.
I have made the mistake of ripping goal pages out of my book as I have achieved them. It would be far better if I kept track of my victories. This is what builds our self-esteem and keeps us motivated to succeed more.
(10) Write yourself a check.
If we write ourselves a check with the amount of money we want to earn by a certain date, the universe will eventually make that happen. Jack calls us to keep this check in our wallet and look at it daily.
Jim Carrey did this before he was ever discovered as an actor. He wrote himself a check for $10 million and tucked it into his wallet. Before the date on the check, he was paid twice that amount for his first year in movies.
You can find a blank check for this exercise at www.thesecret.com.
(11) Face your considerations, fears, and roadblocks.
There are three obstacles to success, and if we know what they are, we can handle them and keep moving foward on our journey. They are:
-Considerations: reasons why our goal is impossible
-Fears: thoughts of rejection, failure, foolishness
-Roadblocks: mere external circumstances that we must overcome
Jack asks us to welcome these three obstacles, because they represent the things that have been holding us back all along.
For me, the fear of failure is strong. Joe and I have been so broke in the past, I don't ever want to go there again. Sticking out my neck and risking my reputation by writing something that flops really scares me. But I know that if I don't try, I'll never find out that I can achieve my big goal.
External circumstances that have affected my writing are the poor economy and skittishness of agents to take on new writers at this point in time. While these are setbacks to me, I know that they are only temporary. Everyone experiences them. If I realize that and push on, I will make it to my goal of becoming a bestselling author.
(12) Mastery is the goal.
If we think that true success lies in achieving material things, we've completely missed the point. God sets us on earth for a reason, and that is to become a master at life. Christ mastered every skill possible, from changing water into wine to raising the dead to life. We are his hands, and it is up to us to finish his work here.
Isaiah 52:7 reads, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Our God reigns!" When we work to achieve goals based on dreams that God has put in our hearts, we are most beautiful to our maker and to those around us.
(13) Do it now!
Jack provides some startling statistics in this last section:
-3% of the world's super achievers have a purpose statement, keep a vision of their best self in mind, and write out their goals
-1% of top achievers write daily to-do lists based on their goals
Wow! I didn't know that I represented such a small percentage of people in the world. I've been doing some version of this most of my life. Even as a kid, I was writing daily to-do lists. But Jack has helped me to see that I need to stretch myself even more. I've been limiting my brain's abilities, and it's time for new challenges.
Today's Challenge
As I stated at the beginning, this is enough work for the next three days. Start by writing out your list of 101 goals today. On Monday, we'll revisit the creation of your 3 x 5 cards; and on Tuesday, I'll help you get started on your Goals Book.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Become an Inverse Paranoid
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #6
(1) Believe that the world is plotting to do you good.
A paranoid person believes that everyone is plotting to do him harm. To become an inverse paranoid, we must begin to believe that everyone is plotting to do us good.
In today's lesson, Jack provides a quote from Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich: "Every negative event contains within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit."
Sometimes, events which seem like a terrible nightmare actually turn out to be blessings in disguise. One day, I was riding to work with Joe. As he pulled into our design shop's parking lot, I suddenly realized that my left arm felt like a dead weight. I assumed that I was having a stroke, so we headed to the hospital. By the time we got there, I had lost the feeling in my left leg.
At the time, this seemed like a terrible turn of events. I lost my ability to sew, and we had to close down our drapery workroom. Joe nearly dropped out of seminary, because the pressure of studying, working, and taking care of me felt so overwhelming. But in the midst of the turmoil, in the quiet of long days spent at home alone, I discovered the beauty of Scripture and the joy of a close relationship with Jesus. I also discovered that my purpose involved more writing than sewing.
When we lose everything we believe to be important, we either give up, or we look for the good in it. Romans 8:28 reads, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. If we cling to this promise when things take a turn for the worse, we can sustain the joy of living, no matter what.
(2) Figure out how to use every setback to your advantage.
Every time something sets us back, we must look at the situation and ask how we can turn a negative into a positive. For instance, getting hit by a drunk driver this summer wasn't high on my list of must-do activities for the year. But I can tell you that a lot of good has resulted from it.
In searching for relief from my pain, I met a woman who practices healing touch. Her interventions have provided pain relief, as well as deeper insight into my spirit. Today, I will attend a healing touch workshop to consider learning more about this modality.
(3) Look for the opportunity in every event.
After we've experienced a number of setbacks, looking for opportunities just becomes second-nature. If you haven't yet achieved this habit, make a small card or poster with the question, What's the opportunity that this presents? Place it on your desk or near your computer so that you will constantly be reminded to look for the good in things.
Begin each day by repeating, "I believe the world is plotting to do me good today. I can't wait to see what it is!"
(4) Look for opportunities in every encounter.
Mark Victor Hansen approached Jack and told him that he wanted to help with the book Jack was writing. At first, Jack declined, because half of the work was already done. But Mark persuaded Jack to let him help. It was an excellent decision, because they estimate that it increased their profits and influence ten-fold.
We must not be afraid to let other people help us on our way to our dreams. Two heads are always better than one. And we must not be greedy about our work, either, keeping to ourselves so that we can get all of the rewards in the end.
For years, I have been struggling with the idea of putting together a seminar business. I want to teach women new life skills so that they can learn how to thrive. Pulling together all of the paper work for starting a new business felt so overwhelming, that I realized after reading this principle that I needed help.
I called the Small Business Administration and told the expert in small business start-up that I couldn't figure out how to marry my ideas for writing, seminars, and quilting classes.
"It all feels so difficult," I said.
"It's actually pretty easy." he said.
Easy? I was amazed that someone might look at my dilemma as a simple problem. When he offered to meet with me one-on-one, I jumped at the opportunity. I can't wait to see how God uses this meeting to further his purposes for my life.
(5) Remember that God must have something better in store for us.
Whether things are going well or falling apart, we must remember that God is always leading us into the right experiences to fulfill our purpose. When we lose our jobs, flunk a class, get divorced, lose a loved one, or experience failing health; we must focus on the thought that the experience is part of a bigger picture that God has designed.
Exodus 23:20 from the Message Bible reads, Now get yourselves ready. I'm sending my Angel ahead of you to guard you in your travels, to lead you to the place that I've prepared. Knowing that God promises to provide protection should give us courage to boldly move forward with our plans. Understanding that he knows where he's taking us helps us stay on the right track, provided we're listening to him.
Today's Challenge
Make a list with two columns. Title the left column, Setbacks. Title the right one, Opportunities. Write out on the left side 10 terrible events that seem to have set you back. Then, record in the right column 10 ways that God used those tragedies to provide you with greater opportunities to achieve your dreams.
(1) Believe that the world is plotting to do you good.
A paranoid person believes that everyone is plotting to do him harm. To become an inverse paranoid, we must begin to believe that everyone is plotting to do us good.
In today's lesson, Jack provides a quote from Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich: "Every negative event contains within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit."
Sometimes, events which seem like a terrible nightmare actually turn out to be blessings in disguise. One day, I was riding to work with Joe. As he pulled into our design shop's parking lot, I suddenly realized that my left arm felt like a dead weight. I assumed that I was having a stroke, so we headed to the hospital. By the time we got there, I had lost the feeling in my left leg.
At the time, this seemed like a terrible turn of events. I lost my ability to sew, and we had to close down our drapery workroom. Joe nearly dropped out of seminary, because the pressure of studying, working, and taking care of me felt so overwhelming. But in the midst of the turmoil, in the quiet of long days spent at home alone, I discovered the beauty of Scripture and the joy of a close relationship with Jesus. I also discovered that my purpose involved more writing than sewing.
When we lose everything we believe to be important, we either give up, or we look for the good in it. Romans 8:28 reads, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. If we cling to this promise when things take a turn for the worse, we can sustain the joy of living, no matter what.
(2) Figure out how to use every setback to your advantage.
Every time something sets us back, we must look at the situation and ask how we can turn a negative into a positive. For instance, getting hit by a drunk driver this summer wasn't high on my list of must-do activities for the year. But I can tell you that a lot of good has resulted from it.
In searching for relief from my pain, I met a woman who practices healing touch. Her interventions have provided pain relief, as well as deeper insight into my spirit. Today, I will attend a healing touch workshop to consider learning more about this modality.
(3) Look for the opportunity in every event.
After we've experienced a number of setbacks, looking for opportunities just becomes second-nature. If you haven't yet achieved this habit, make a small card or poster with the question, What's the opportunity that this presents? Place it on your desk or near your computer so that you will constantly be reminded to look for the good in things.
Begin each day by repeating, "I believe the world is plotting to do me good today. I can't wait to see what it is!"
(4) Look for opportunities in every encounter.
Mark Victor Hansen approached Jack and told him that he wanted to help with the book Jack was writing. At first, Jack declined, because half of the work was already done. But Mark persuaded Jack to let him help. It was an excellent decision, because they estimate that it increased their profits and influence ten-fold.
We must not be afraid to let other people help us on our way to our dreams. Two heads are always better than one. And we must not be greedy about our work, either, keeping to ourselves so that we can get all of the rewards in the end.
For years, I have been struggling with the idea of putting together a seminar business. I want to teach women new life skills so that they can learn how to thrive. Pulling together all of the paper work for starting a new business felt so overwhelming, that I realized after reading this principle that I needed help.
I called the Small Business Administration and told the expert in small business start-up that I couldn't figure out how to marry my ideas for writing, seminars, and quilting classes.
"It all feels so difficult," I said.
"It's actually pretty easy." he said.
Easy? I was amazed that someone might look at my dilemma as a simple problem. When he offered to meet with me one-on-one, I jumped at the opportunity. I can't wait to see how God uses this meeting to further his purposes for my life.
(5) Remember that God must have something better in store for us.
Whether things are going well or falling apart, we must remember that God is always leading us into the right experiences to fulfill our purpose. When we lose our jobs, flunk a class, get divorced, lose a loved one, or experience failing health; we must focus on the thought that the experience is part of a bigger picture that God has designed.
Exodus 23:20 from the Message Bible reads, Now get yourselves ready. I'm sending my Angel ahead of you to guard you in your travels, to lead you to the place that I've prepared. Knowing that God promises to provide protection should give us courage to boldly move forward with our plans. Understanding that he knows where he's taking us helps us stay on the right track, provided we're listening to him.
Today's Challenge
Make a list with two columns. Title the left column, Setbacks. Title the right one, Opportunities. Write out on the left side 10 terrible events that seem to have set you back. Then, record in the right column 10 ways that God used those tragedies to provide you with greater opportunities to achieve your dreams.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Believe in Yourself
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #5
(1) Believing in yourself is an attitude.
Jack Canfield asks us again today to believe that we have what it takes to create our desired results. He teaches us that research proves that anyone can do almost anything. The human brain is capable of learning new skills at any age; and with proper training and practice, people can achieve impossible dreams. He points out that we must begin acting as if we have already achieved our dreams.
I am imagining that I am walking onto the set of a national news broadcast, such as Good Morning America. The audience is applauding, and the TV journalists are smiling with approval at me. Hope Among the Ashes has become one of the most sought-after life success programs, and I have been invited to speak about my latest book and speaking tour. I know that if I can pretend this is happening, it will eventually become reality. I don't have to know how to get from here to there; my brain will fill in the blanks as I go along.
2) The choice of what to believe is up to you.
When we continually hit brick walls, we can do one of two things. Either we can give up, and tell ourselves it's impossible to achieve what we're after; or we can search for another way to make our dreams come true.
Sometimes, we're trying to achieve something, because someone else has wired us to believe it's our destiny. For example, when I was a young girl, my mother enrolled both my sister and me in dancing lessons. My sister could tap dance like Ginger Rogers, never missing a beat. I constantly found myself stumbling around a few beats behind, watching other dancers who seemed to remember the steps far better than I did.
I wish I had figured out way back then that I preferred playing the piano to tap dancing. I would have given up the dance lessons and opted for more time at the piano. Remember, we get to choose what we become.
(3) You have to give up "I Can't."
Several years ago, I learned about the energy field that surrounds each of our bodies. An herbalist showed me a way to tear down someone else's energy field with my hands, until that person could no longer hold out his left arm.
Interestingly, Jack Canfield has shown me another way to look at this. If we ask someone to hold out their left arm to the side and resist us, we generally cannot push their arm downward. If we ask them to just think about something that they can't do, they have a little trouble holding up that arm. If we take it one step further and ask them to speak aloud, "I can't _____________," that arm becomes so weak, we can push it to their side without resistance.
As survivors of verbal abuse, you can begin to see how huge an impact our critics' words had on us. Every time our abusers shouted at us, told us we were incompetent, or said unkind words to us, our energy field got damaged.
I have been visiting a healing touch practitioner, and she observed that my energy field had great dents in it. She explained that this is a common occurrence among people who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). With her help, and with my belief in the dream of getting well, we have seen huge improvements in my energy field.
We can all reclaim our personal power and heal our energy fields. It begins with the belief that we can. The Bible tells us, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
(4) Don't waste your life believing you can't.
What if someone told you today that you have only a few months to live? Would you feel that you'd wasted your life, never taking the risks to become what you wanted to be?
In 1992, I was diagnosed with melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Within days, I was whisked through a large group orientation for people facing this disease. I was told to get my affairs in order and to make sure that I had life insurance before I continued with my treatment. The prognosis for someone with stage four cancer was extremely poor.
Suddenly, the prospect of living only a few months made me realize that I had wasted a great deal of time on pursuits that were really not important to me. I decided to quit my teaching job and give up my doctorate degree work. The only thing that seemed important to me was time spent with my children. I did not want to leave them without a mother.
I believed that God could heal me, so I called a minister who had a gift for healing people. I asked him to pray for me, which he did. When the doctors performed my surgery a few days later, they were dumb-founded. They could not locate a single cancer cell in the tissue they removed! Never believe that God can't do the impossible. And quit wasting your life, believing that you can't achieve your dreams.
(5) It's all about attitude.
Your attitude about challenges, remember, will dictate your outcomes in life. (E + R = O) I adopted the attitude that I refused to die before my children were grown, and I got a far better outcome than most other patients in that melanoma clinic 18 years ago. I am living proof that attitude is everything.
(6) Don't assume you need a college degree.
Jack points out that lifelong learning is essential to our success; but a college degree is not. He cites many examples of people who have become millionaires without ever attending college.
I have a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and most of a doctorate degree in education. I also worked on a degree in interior design. I can honestly say that I have learned far more about how to navigate my way through life by reading the Bible and learning from wiser Christians than I ever learned in college.
However, I don't think that I would have the discipline that I do today if I hadn't attended the University of Michigan. Surrounded by people of high intellect, I was challenged daily to push myself beyond my comfortable limits. I think that surrounding ourselves with highly successful people can be one of the most helpful things we can do to make our dreams come true. Whether we find these guides in college or somewhere else is up to each one of us to decide.
(7) What others think about you is none of YOUR business.
I had to read this several times before I got the point. We all spend far too much time worrying about what people think of us. Believe it or not, most people are too busy thinking of themselves to even notice what you're doing or saying.
My favorite quote comes from Dr. Seuss: Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.
Today's Challenge
Keep working on your purpose statement and your dreams. Imagine yourself at the pinnacle of success, and act out what you will be doing. Walk onto that imaginary stage and wave to the cheering audience. Or step onto that pitcher's mound and wind up to throw the winning pitch. Believe it, and you can become whatever you dream.
(1) Believing in yourself is an attitude.
Jack Canfield asks us again today to believe that we have what it takes to create our desired results. He teaches us that research proves that anyone can do almost anything. The human brain is capable of learning new skills at any age; and with proper training and practice, people can achieve impossible dreams. He points out that we must begin acting as if we have already achieved our dreams.
I am imagining that I am walking onto the set of a national news broadcast, such as Good Morning America. The audience is applauding, and the TV journalists are smiling with approval at me. Hope Among the Ashes has become one of the most sought-after life success programs, and I have been invited to speak about my latest book and speaking tour. I know that if I can pretend this is happening, it will eventually become reality. I don't have to know how to get from here to there; my brain will fill in the blanks as I go along.
2) The choice of what to believe is up to you.
When we continually hit brick walls, we can do one of two things. Either we can give up, and tell ourselves it's impossible to achieve what we're after; or we can search for another way to make our dreams come true.
Sometimes, we're trying to achieve something, because someone else has wired us to believe it's our destiny. For example, when I was a young girl, my mother enrolled both my sister and me in dancing lessons. My sister could tap dance like Ginger Rogers, never missing a beat. I constantly found myself stumbling around a few beats behind, watching other dancers who seemed to remember the steps far better than I did.
I wish I had figured out way back then that I preferred playing the piano to tap dancing. I would have given up the dance lessons and opted for more time at the piano. Remember, we get to choose what we become.
(3) You have to give up "I Can't."
Several years ago, I learned about the energy field that surrounds each of our bodies. An herbalist showed me a way to tear down someone else's energy field with my hands, until that person could no longer hold out his left arm.
Interestingly, Jack Canfield has shown me another way to look at this. If we ask someone to hold out their left arm to the side and resist us, we generally cannot push their arm downward. If we ask them to just think about something that they can't do, they have a little trouble holding up that arm. If we take it one step further and ask them to speak aloud, "I can't _____________," that arm becomes so weak, we can push it to their side without resistance.
As survivors of verbal abuse, you can begin to see how huge an impact our critics' words had on us. Every time our abusers shouted at us, told us we were incompetent, or said unkind words to us, our energy field got damaged.
I have been visiting a healing touch practitioner, and she observed that my energy field had great dents in it. She explained that this is a common occurrence among people who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). With her help, and with my belief in the dream of getting well, we have seen huge improvements in my energy field.
We can all reclaim our personal power and heal our energy fields. It begins with the belief that we can. The Bible tells us, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
(4) Don't waste your life believing you can't.
What if someone told you today that you have only a few months to live? Would you feel that you'd wasted your life, never taking the risks to become what you wanted to be?
In 1992, I was diagnosed with melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Within days, I was whisked through a large group orientation for people facing this disease. I was told to get my affairs in order and to make sure that I had life insurance before I continued with my treatment. The prognosis for someone with stage four cancer was extremely poor.
Suddenly, the prospect of living only a few months made me realize that I had wasted a great deal of time on pursuits that were really not important to me. I decided to quit my teaching job and give up my doctorate degree work. The only thing that seemed important to me was time spent with my children. I did not want to leave them without a mother.
I believed that God could heal me, so I called a minister who had a gift for healing people. I asked him to pray for me, which he did. When the doctors performed my surgery a few days later, they were dumb-founded. They could not locate a single cancer cell in the tissue they removed! Never believe that God can't do the impossible. And quit wasting your life, believing that you can't achieve your dreams.
(5) It's all about attitude.
Your attitude about challenges, remember, will dictate your outcomes in life. (E + R = O) I adopted the attitude that I refused to die before my children were grown, and I got a far better outcome than most other patients in that melanoma clinic 18 years ago. I am living proof that attitude is everything.
(6) Don't assume you need a college degree.
Jack points out that lifelong learning is essential to our success; but a college degree is not. He cites many examples of people who have become millionaires without ever attending college.
I have a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and most of a doctorate degree in education. I also worked on a degree in interior design. I can honestly say that I have learned far more about how to navigate my way through life by reading the Bible and learning from wiser Christians than I ever learned in college.
However, I don't think that I would have the discipline that I do today if I hadn't attended the University of Michigan. Surrounded by people of high intellect, I was challenged daily to push myself beyond my comfortable limits. I think that surrounding ourselves with highly successful people can be one of the most helpful things we can do to make our dreams come true. Whether we find these guides in college or somewhere else is up to each one of us to decide.
(7) What others think about you is none of YOUR business.
I had to read this several times before I got the point. We all spend far too much time worrying about what people think of us. Believe it or not, most people are too busy thinking of themselves to even notice what you're doing or saying.
My favorite quote comes from Dr. Seuss: Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.
Today's Challenge
Keep working on your purpose statement and your dreams. Imagine yourself at the pinnacle of success, and act out what you will be doing. Walk onto that imaginary stage and wave to the cheering audience. Or step onto that pitcher's mound and wind up to throw the winning pitch. Believe it, and you can become whatever you dream.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Believe It's Possible
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #4
(1) We get what we expect.
Jack Canfield tells us today that we get whatever we think about. Consider the power behind that statement.
I meet people frequently who live under what author and inspirational speaker Joyce Meyer calls a lack mentality. You've met these people. They constantly repeat that they don't have enough time, enough money, enough energy, enough intelligence, or enough resources to achieve their dreams. They drive beat-up cars, work in low-paying jobs, hang out with other under-achievers, and suffer from ill health.
As survivors of abuse and trauma, our brains have been wired to expect more of the same terrible treatment we received in the past. This can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.
We can change our future by simply changing how we think. I wrote in a previous post about cognitive restructuring. This is a fancy word for talking yourself into a more positive outlook.
Our psychologist used this with our adopted daughter who had been severely traumatized as a child in Ethiopia. The doctor taught her to repeat, "I am safe. Everything is okay." In time, a little girl paralyzed by fear began to breathe a little easier and look forward to life with better expectations.
(2) You gotta believe.
This is a line made famous by Tug McGraw, the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher who struck out a batter to help his team win the 1980 World Series. He had visualized his success so many times throughout his life, that he knew it would come true one day.
Having faith means that we believe so strongly in something that we refuse to think that it won't happen. The Bible is full of examples of people exercising powerful faith. Matthew 9:20-22 reads, Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. Do we have this much faith?
(3) Believe in yourself and go for it.
Tim Ferriss is an athlete who believed so strongly in himself that he won a national Chinese kickboxing championship after just six weeks of training. He had never before played the sport.
I decided in high school that I wanted to graduate a semester early to go to the University of Michigan. My parents had never attended college, and no one prepared me for the fact that Michigan has some of the toughest admission standards on the planet. I applied and had complete faith that I would get in.
Just five days before classes were supposed to start, I still hadn't heard from the university admissions office. I wasn't worried that I hadn't been accepted; I was concerned about my choice of dorms.
I called the dean's office and actually got the man on the phone (a small miracle in and of itself). No one had even reviewed my application yet, but the dean accepted me on the spot, with a warning that I'd better be prepared to work a lot harder than I had in high school. I'm certain that I got in, not because I had the best academic record, but because I was so confident that I would be accepted.
Jesus told his followers, "I tell you the truth, unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) Our faith in God and in ourselves must be like that of a child, who does not doubt that God can help him to do anything.
(4) It helps to have someone else believe in you first.
We all need an accountability partner to cheer us on or to chew us out when we lose sight of our dreams. We also have our own built-in partner right in our own bathroom mirrors. Standing in front of the mirror every day and stating our dreams aloud will make them more real to us.
Every morning, I sit in my sauna, look at my reflection in the window, and repeat the prayer of Jabez: Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.
God granted my request. I have been relieved of the pain of reflex sympathetic dystrophy that was caused by my auto accident. This is just one of the many miracles that God has given me, because I believe that I can do anything through him.
Today's Challenge
Keep working on your purpose statement and your dream book. Get in front of a mirror and tell yourself exactly how you're going to achieve your dreams.
(1) We get what we expect.
Jack Canfield tells us today that we get whatever we think about. Consider the power behind that statement.
I meet people frequently who live under what author and inspirational speaker Joyce Meyer calls a lack mentality. You've met these people. They constantly repeat that they don't have enough time, enough money, enough energy, enough intelligence, or enough resources to achieve their dreams. They drive beat-up cars, work in low-paying jobs, hang out with other under-achievers, and suffer from ill health.
As survivors of abuse and trauma, our brains have been wired to expect more of the same terrible treatment we received in the past. This can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.
We can change our future by simply changing how we think. I wrote in a previous post about cognitive restructuring. This is a fancy word for talking yourself into a more positive outlook.
Our psychologist used this with our adopted daughter who had been severely traumatized as a child in Ethiopia. The doctor taught her to repeat, "I am safe. Everything is okay." In time, a little girl paralyzed by fear began to breathe a little easier and look forward to life with better expectations.
(2) You gotta believe.
This is a line made famous by Tug McGraw, the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher who struck out a batter to help his team win the 1980 World Series. He had visualized his success so many times throughout his life, that he knew it would come true one day.
Having faith means that we believe so strongly in something that we refuse to think that it won't happen. The Bible is full of examples of people exercising powerful faith. Matthew 9:20-22 reads, Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. Do we have this much faith?
(3) Believe in yourself and go for it.
Tim Ferriss is an athlete who believed so strongly in himself that he won a national Chinese kickboxing championship after just six weeks of training. He had never before played the sport.
I decided in high school that I wanted to graduate a semester early to go to the University of Michigan. My parents had never attended college, and no one prepared me for the fact that Michigan has some of the toughest admission standards on the planet. I applied and had complete faith that I would get in.
Just five days before classes were supposed to start, I still hadn't heard from the university admissions office. I wasn't worried that I hadn't been accepted; I was concerned about my choice of dorms.
I called the dean's office and actually got the man on the phone (a small miracle in and of itself). No one had even reviewed my application yet, but the dean accepted me on the spot, with a warning that I'd better be prepared to work a lot harder than I had in high school. I'm certain that I got in, not because I had the best academic record, but because I was so confident that I would be accepted.
Jesus told his followers, "I tell you the truth, unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) Our faith in God and in ourselves must be like that of a child, who does not doubt that God can help him to do anything.
(4) It helps to have someone else believe in you first.
We all need an accountability partner to cheer us on or to chew us out when we lose sight of our dreams. We also have our own built-in partner right in our own bathroom mirrors. Standing in front of the mirror every day and stating our dreams aloud will make them more real to us.
Every morning, I sit in my sauna, look at my reflection in the window, and repeat the prayer of Jabez: Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.
God granted my request. I have been relieved of the pain of reflex sympathetic dystrophy that was caused by my auto accident. This is just one of the many miracles that God has given me, because I believe that I can do anything through him.
Today's Challenge
Keep working on your purpose statement and your dream book. Get in front of a mirror and tell yourself exactly how you're going to achieve your dreams.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Decide What You Want
Jack Canfield's Principle #3
In Success Principle #3, Jack Canfield teaches us that we must figure out exactly what we want out of life. It's the longest lesson in the book, and I wish he had divided it. I recommend working on this over the entire course, tweaking it as you go. There are 10 steps, as follows:
(1) Understand that most of our dreams are programmed out of us through childhood critics.
When we are born, God places dreams into our hearts. We know what we want, but the grown-ups, teachers, and critics in our lives tell us what they want us to do.
I dreamed of becoming a writer when I was in high school, but the adults in my world told me that I would die of starvation if I followed that course. It took me nearly 30 years to get back to what I knew I wanted.
(2) Don't live someone else's dream.
When I was in college, I couldn't seem to settle on any one particular subject. I no longer had a clue what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I tried taking classes in nearly every department. As graduation loomed, my classmates urged me to become a teacher or a nurse. Since I was planning to get married, they felt either career would be good for a wife and mother. I listened to them and decided to become an elementary teacher, since I knew a little bit about a lot of things. I wish I had listened to my own heart.
(3) Stop settling for less.
We are taught from an early age that we are not supposed to get what we want. We learn to resist our desires so that we don't grow up to be selfish brats. Unfortunately, this puts us into the habit of allowing others to get what they want, while our desires are ignored.
During my first marriage, my husband dictated the type of bedtime attire that I wore. He shopped at Frederick's of Hollywood, so you can imagine how I looked. I hated feeling like a floozie, tottering around in stilettos and various see-through garments.
After a lot of counseling, I proclaimed my independence by setting fire to everything I wore to bed. I marched into a department store, determined to buy something that I wanted. As I stood there, surrounded by thousands of choices, I realized that I had no clue what I wanted to wear to bed. I burst into tears and went home with nothing. If you're letting everyone else choose what you want, it's time to break this nasty habit today.
(4) Jack asks readers to make three 30-item "I want" lists.
This is a device to help us brainstorm what we want out of life. Don't be surprised if it takes a while, especially if you're used to letting others tell you what you want. The lists include:
-30 things you want to do before you die;
-30 things you want to have; and
-30 things you want to be.
(5) Next, Jack asks us to make a list of 20 things we love to do; and then think of ways to make a living at it.
This task can be a little more difficult, because many of us can't think outside the box when it comes to making a living at what we love.
At one point, I decided that I loved to sew. I thought about ways to make a living at it, and by working in a sewing store part-time, I fell into the career of making custom window treatments. I think that when we just start doing what we love, the job often follows.
(6) Clarify your vision to include the seven areas of your life, as follows:
-work and career
-finances
-recreation and free time
-health and fitness
-relationships
-personal goals
-community contributions
Many of us know that our lives are out of balance, but we can't figure out why. When we write down what we want, most of us come to see that there are one or two areas where we're weak.
For me, recreation and free time are usually blank when I work on this. I was programmed from early on that I must work, work, work. Sitting still meant I was lazy. My parents taught me a good work ethic, but they failed to teach me that it was okay to play, too. I meet a lot of others with this same problem, but we can reverse it through this lesson.
(7) Jack takes the reader through a long process, called the Vision Exercise, on pages 32 and 33 of his book. I highly recommend following it.
My vision exercise took me several days to finish. I decided to create what I call my Dream Book. It's a three-ring notebook with sheet protectors in it. The pages in it contain personal affirmations, magazine pictures, and photographs of the things I want out of life. I look through it every single day, and it really keeps me on track with my purpose.
At the end of the 64-day process, I plan to teach a class on how to create a dream book. Let me know if you're interested in attending. Details will follow.
(8) Dream big!
Jack points out that people who win big in life are people who dream big. It takes just as long to dream something small as it does to dream something big. And if we envision a big dream, our subconscious will help us to achieve it.
I dreamed of owning a house at a lake. I put that idea into my dream book, and one year later, I was moving in. Without the dream, the house would never have materialized. We attract what we think about.
(9) Don't let anyone discourage you.
Along the way, someone is going to tell you that your dreams are unrealistic, selfish, un-Christian, or ridiculous. Don't listen to them. If God put a dream in your heart, he can bring it to reality. All things are possible with God! (Mark 10:27)
(10) Share your vision with a trusted friend.
Throughout this process, we all need an accountability partner. Choose someone you trust (not your critic!) and share your dreams with them. Show them your dream book, and ask them to pray for you. Work together to make sure you stick with this to the end.
My dream book keeps me going, particularly when life throws me a curve ball. After my car accident this summer, I lost the use of my right hand. Every day, I looked at my magazine cut-outs of women doing yoga, and I read the sentence that states, I practice 20 minutes of yoga daily. I never gave up believing that I would once again perform poses that placed high demands on my right wrist and hand. This week, for the first time since the accident, I made it into those demanding yoga poses!
Today's Challenge:
Set aside time and go someplace quiet to think about what you want. Write it all down. You'll be amazed by the results!
In Success Principle #3, Jack Canfield teaches us that we must figure out exactly what we want out of life. It's the longest lesson in the book, and I wish he had divided it. I recommend working on this over the entire course, tweaking it as you go. There are 10 steps, as follows:
(1) Understand that most of our dreams are programmed out of us through childhood critics.
When we are born, God places dreams into our hearts. We know what we want, but the grown-ups, teachers, and critics in our lives tell us what they want us to do.
I dreamed of becoming a writer when I was in high school, but the adults in my world told me that I would die of starvation if I followed that course. It took me nearly 30 years to get back to what I knew I wanted.
(2) Don't live someone else's dream.
When I was in college, I couldn't seem to settle on any one particular subject. I no longer had a clue what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I tried taking classes in nearly every department. As graduation loomed, my classmates urged me to become a teacher or a nurse. Since I was planning to get married, they felt either career would be good for a wife and mother. I listened to them and decided to become an elementary teacher, since I knew a little bit about a lot of things. I wish I had listened to my own heart.
(3) Stop settling for less.
We are taught from an early age that we are not supposed to get what we want. We learn to resist our desires so that we don't grow up to be selfish brats. Unfortunately, this puts us into the habit of allowing others to get what they want, while our desires are ignored.
During my first marriage, my husband dictated the type of bedtime attire that I wore. He shopped at Frederick's of Hollywood, so you can imagine how I looked. I hated feeling like a floozie, tottering around in stilettos and various see-through garments.
After a lot of counseling, I proclaimed my independence by setting fire to everything I wore to bed. I marched into a department store, determined to buy something that I wanted. As I stood there, surrounded by thousands of choices, I realized that I had no clue what I wanted to wear to bed. I burst into tears and went home with nothing. If you're letting everyone else choose what you want, it's time to break this nasty habit today.
(4) Jack asks readers to make three 30-item "I want" lists.
This is a device to help us brainstorm what we want out of life. Don't be surprised if it takes a while, especially if you're used to letting others tell you what you want. The lists include:
-30 things you want to do before you die;
-30 things you want to have; and
-30 things you want to be.
(5) Next, Jack asks us to make a list of 20 things we love to do; and then think of ways to make a living at it.
This task can be a little more difficult, because many of us can't think outside the box when it comes to making a living at what we love.
At one point, I decided that I loved to sew. I thought about ways to make a living at it, and by working in a sewing store part-time, I fell into the career of making custom window treatments. I think that when we just start doing what we love, the job often follows.
(6) Clarify your vision to include the seven areas of your life, as follows:
-work and career
-finances
-recreation and free time
-health and fitness
-relationships
-personal goals
-community contributions
Many of us know that our lives are out of balance, but we can't figure out why. When we write down what we want, most of us come to see that there are one or two areas where we're weak.
For me, recreation and free time are usually blank when I work on this. I was programmed from early on that I must work, work, work. Sitting still meant I was lazy. My parents taught me a good work ethic, but they failed to teach me that it was okay to play, too. I meet a lot of others with this same problem, but we can reverse it through this lesson.
(7) Jack takes the reader through a long process, called the Vision Exercise, on pages 32 and 33 of his book. I highly recommend following it.
My vision exercise took me several days to finish. I decided to create what I call my Dream Book. It's a three-ring notebook with sheet protectors in it. The pages in it contain personal affirmations, magazine pictures, and photographs of the things I want out of life. I look through it every single day, and it really keeps me on track with my purpose.
At the end of the 64-day process, I plan to teach a class on how to create a dream book. Let me know if you're interested in attending. Details will follow.
(8) Dream big!
Jack points out that people who win big in life are people who dream big. It takes just as long to dream something small as it does to dream something big. And if we envision a big dream, our subconscious will help us to achieve it.
I dreamed of owning a house at a lake. I put that idea into my dream book, and one year later, I was moving in. Without the dream, the house would never have materialized. We attract what we think about.
(9) Don't let anyone discourage you.
Along the way, someone is going to tell you that your dreams are unrealistic, selfish, un-Christian, or ridiculous. Don't listen to them. If God put a dream in your heart, he can bring it to reality. All things are possible with God! (Mark 10:27)
(10) Share your vision with a trusted friend.
Throughout this process, we all need an accountability partner. Choose someone you trust (not your critic!) and share your dreams with them. Show them your dream book, and ask them to pray for you. Work together to make sure you stick with this to the end.
My dream book keeps me going, particularly when life throws me a curve ball. After my car accident this summer, I lost the use of my right hand. Every day, I looked at my magazine cut-outs of women doing yoga, and I read the sentence that states, I practice 20 minutes of yoga daily. I never gave up believing that I would once again perform poses that placed high demands on my right wrist and hand. This week, for the first time since the accident, I made it into those demanding yoga poses!
Today's Challenge:
Set aside time and go someplace quiet to think about what you want. Write it all down. You'll be amazed by the results!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Be Clear Why You're Here
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #2
Everywhere I go, I tell people that the most important thing they can figure out is why God sent them here to this planet at this particular time. I am amazed by how many people have no clue about their purpose.
Without purpose, we are all like ships adrift on wild waves of the ocean. The storms of life can leave us with a toppled mast, torn sails, and a broken rudder. If we're in a close relationship with someone who has no direction, our life together can feel aimless.
(1) Jack Canfield tells us that our inner GPS system can be relied upon to keep us on track with God's purpose. He believes that whenever we feel joy, we are doing what God has called us to.
I think joy is a good place to start, but I believe we experience far more when we are in sync with God's plan for us. The Bible puts it this way: The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22) When we are doing the one thing that we love, all of these feelings fill our hearts.
(2) Make a list of the times in your life when you felt the most joy.
My list includes writing, sewing, playing the piano, and helping women and children who have been abused. Doing these things makes me feel energized, and I lose track of time. They are the activities I am willing to do without pay, because they fulfill me.
(3) Complete Jack's Life Purpose Exercise, as follows:
-List two of your unique personal qualities;
-List one or two ways that you enjoy putting those qualities to work for other people;
-Describe a perfect world, as you see it; and
-Combine these first three concepts into a single statement.
The book, What Color is Your Parachute?, asks readers to complete this same task. The author directs us to think about our greatest skills, the audience for those skills, and the outcome that we would achieve if we put our skills together with the people we feel most passionate about.
You can use either one of these methods to come up with your purpose. Here's mine:
My purpose is to use my gifts of writing, sewing, and healing to teach women new life skills so that they can learn how to thrive.
Today's Challenge:
Of all the Success Principles we will discuss, this one is the most important. Nail down your purpose, and the rest is easy. If you're having trouble figuring it out, just sit in a quiet place and ask God to tell you. He knows where you're going, and I'm sure he would be happy to guide you. All you have to do is listen.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Everywhere I go, I tell people that the most important thing they can figure out is why God sent them here to this planet at this particular time. I am amazed by how many people have no clue about their purpose.
Without purpose, we are all like ships adrift on wild waves of the ocean. The storms of life can leave us with a toppled mast, torn sails, and a broken rudder. If we're in a close relationship with someone who has no direction, our life together can feel aimless.
(1) Jack Canfield tells us that our inner GPS system can be relied upon to keep us on track with God's purpose. He believes that whenever we feel joy, we are doing what God has called us to.
I think joy is a good place to start, but I believe we experience far more when we are in sync with God's plan for us. The Bible puts it this way: The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22) When we are doing the one thing that we love, all of these feelings fill our hearts.
(2) Make a list of the times in your life when you felt the most joy.
My list includes writing, sewing, playing the piano, and helping women and children who have been abused. Doing these things makes me feel energized, and I lose track of time. They are the activities I am willing to do without pay, because they fulfill me.
(3) Complete Jack's Life Purpose Exercise, as follows:
-List two of your unique personal qualities;
-List one or two ways that you enjoy putting those qualities to work for other people;
-Describe a perfect world, as you see it; and
-Combine these first three concepts into a single statement.
The book, What Color is Your Parachute?, asks readers to complete this same task. The author directs us to think about our greatest skills, the audience for those skills, and the outcome that we would achieve if we put our skills together with the people we feel most passionate about.
You can use either one of these methods to come up with your purpose. Here's mine:
My purpose is to use my gifts of writing, sewing, and healing to teach women new life skills so that they can learn how to thrive.
Today's Challenge:
Of all the Success Principles we will discuss, this one is the most important. Nail down your purpose, and the rest is easy. If you're having trouble figuring it out, just sit in a quiet place and ask God to tell you. He knows where you're going, and I'm sure he would be happy to guide you. All you have to do is listen.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
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