Here we are at the beginning of yet another new year, and yes, it’s time for making and breaking yet another promise to yourself. Sound familiar? You start off by making some grand promise to yourself such as ‘I am going to increase my income by 25%’ and then after a very short time of ‘being strong’, you allow yourself to slip a little. You appease your sense of justification by telling yourself you’ll work twice as hard, and before long, procrastination sets in and you are right back where you started. This is a vicious cycle that happens to millions of well-intentioned people every year. Yes, there is hope for you!
The topic of goal setting has been written about and studied for decades, and yet so many people still fall short of their dreams and aspirations year after year. What is it that you are willing and able to do differently in 2012 to allow these dreams to come to fruition?
Here are seven key components to achieving your heart’s desire.
1. Establish Intentions
An intention is something that is declared to the Universe as an ultimate aim or purpose, whereas a goal is closer to an object of effort or destination. An intention carries with it feeling and inspiration, and commands that the object or desired result be brought forth. To simply tell you to put your intention to paper in full description would not do you any benefit unless you knew why this step is important. You see, writing causes us to think, and thinking brings forth pictures in our mind’s eye. These images bring with them emotions that are the driving force. It is these powerfully charged new images that propel us into action. Our action sets up an equal and opposite reaction from the Universe, and creates our desired result.
Suggestion: Some may say to set intentions for each area of your life, however, this may be an overload to your internal circuitry. Start with one or two intentions and you may expand your efforts from there.
2. Repetition
Repetition is the first law of learning and growth. Have your intention plasticized to a card, and repeat it aloud as frequently as possible. Morning and evening, prior to bed, are the key times to engage your senses into the grandeur of your intention. By doing so, you bring these new images of yourself in possession of the desired result to the forefront of your mind.
Suggestion: As an added action to expedite the engrainment of this image into your subconscious mind, it is also recommended that you write out your intention every day, putting feeling into the words as you write. For myself, I find it is easy to give myself one half hour in the morning to put these thoughts and feelings to paper.
3. Take Action
In the smash hit movie “The Secret”, it is revealed that the secret to obtaining our desires lies in The Law of Attraction, which is fact. However, what most don’t recognize is that there must be action before there can be reaction. ‘Action’ is found right in the word attraction. If all you do is sit by day dreaming of a better life, writing and visualizing the desired outcome, you are in for a rude awakening. At this point, it is not necessary to know every step required to achieve your intention, and even so, adjustments will be made along the way. It is best to schedule concerted actions on a calendar or daily journal which brings with it a sense of accountability to yourself. The more you hold yourself accountable, the quicker the process becomes. It is very important to note that the more emotionally involved you become with you intentions, the more the Universe responds with things such as inspirations. If there is an act or idea that comes to you through inspiration, act upon it as it is the Universe’s way of giving you divine influence.
4. Hitting the Wall
Just as long distance runners hit an internal physical wall that tells them they can go no further, the same holds true with grand intentions. From childhood on, we are conditioned to think, feel and act in ways that are not necessarily of our choosing. This collective of behaviors is called a Paradigm. In this case, let’s call the existing paradigm ‘X’ and the new paradigm (or consciously chosen behaviors), ‘Y’. As we continuously impress our heartfelt intentions upon our subconscious mind, the ‘X’ paradigm takes up arms and fights back. Fear, worry and doubt set in, and if permitted, these destructive emotions bounce us off the wall back the place we know best – status quo. All great achievers experience this wall on a regular basis. The key to breaking through the wall is this: acknowledge it. Acknowledge that it is there and that you understand why you are feeling these destructive emotions. The simple act of acknowledging starts to dissolve the ‘X’ paradigm’s power over you, and allows the new and improved ‘Y’ paradigm to take root. With repetition and practice, you will be able to overcome all the ‘bullies of the mind’ with this technique.
5. Nourish Your Mind
As stated earlier, we have been indoctrinated with others’ beliefs, habits, idiosyncrasies and likenesses since birth. (Note: We have actually been brought into this world preconditioned with false beliefs of the generations that have gone before us through genetics.) These false beliefs that separate us from our true self are reinforced through the mainstream media of television, radio, and marketing designed to keep us imprisoned to a world that revolves around have and have-not. Shut it off! Manifesting an intention requires growth, a ‘busting out’, if you would. How can we expect to expand our very being, realize an intention, when we come from the very place that created the existing undesirable condition? Visit your local library, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Chapters or any other provider of biographies, success literature, and self-awareness materials and become a student of this game called life. To manifest an intention is to grow on all levels, so keep your momentum highly charged and allow this momentum to awaken your true self. Remember, growth is an inside job, and it starts with your mind so nourish it daily as you would your body.
6. Reward Yourself
We live in a world of gratification, where we are acknowledged for our efforts and successes. We are rewarded for good grades in school, winning a sporting event or achieving success in a sales organization. Every one everywhere loves to be acknowledged and appreciated for the deeds they may have done, or the feats they may have accomplished. Manifesting an intention is no different as you have, in fact by its very nature, accomplished something you have never done before. What special gift or event will you give yourself upon realizing the creation of your intention? Become emotionally involved with your reward to yourself; see yourself already in possession of this gift just as you do with the intention itself. Emotion is the catalyst, the driving force behind bringing your desire to life. Feel your way to the finish line!
7. Seek Support
Be the support you hope to find. The easiest and surest way to find someone to encourage you along your quest is to be the support for another person. You may currently be surrounded by naysayers, and that’s O.K, because they will be the first ones to say “I knew you could do it.” Funny how that works. Depending on your intention, you may find a support group or mastermind group close by simply by checking your community bulletins. With the World Wide Web at your fingertips, this support network may already be at your doorstep. The point is, find at least one person who believes in you more than you believe in yourself – you may be surprised to discover who this may be. I once found this kind of belief in someone I thought was ‘on the other team’.
Life can be a miraculous journey if we get out of our own way and allow our desires to become our reality. I’m sure this list can be drawn to include other steps and actions, but in keeping things simple, we become like a child in a world of imagination. Allow your imagination to run free and create a life that you choose to experience, and leave the naysayers behind – you’ll be grateful you did.
©Kevin Hanna 2011
masterfulthoughts@gmail.com
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