RIDE THE HORSE IN THE DIRECTION IT’S GOING
By Sandye Linnetz
In life, we have ‘beliefs’… lots of beliefs. It’s all that stuff we absolutely ‘know’ is true – about life, love, business, spirituality, exercise, learning and even oatmeal!
“Making money is good” “the toilet paper should come OVER the roll” “nice guys finish last” “money doesn’t grow on trees” “Hard work pays off” “It’s better to be busy than bored” “the road to success is filled with potholes” “OATMEAL MUST BE HOT” “If it feels like work you’re in the wrong business” “I am boring” “Those people are boring” “WORK ISN’T FUN” “THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME” “there aren’t enough hours in the day” “some things just can’t be done” “I’m not smart enough” “Money is the Possibility of Freedom” “Time is the most valuable commodity I have” “I’ll never be able to do that” “I can do anything I put my mind to” (You have millions of your own, don’t you?)
What do you BELIEVE about life – and yours in particular? Pretend that you have to give a speech to 12th graders about what it’s like to be in you. What would you tell them? This is a great way to get clear about where you are and what you believe about what you do. How do your “beliefs” match your current reality?
Think about this: The way it is now is the lowest common denominator between what you want and what you are willing to accept. Okay, reread that line until you really ‘get’ it. (And ask yourself, “What am I ‘putting up with’ that isn’t really what I want?”)
Perhaps it’s time for you to raise the bar. When I do this little personal inventory I start by taking a look at the way it IS; no judgments, no interpretations – just an honest look at my life. How often am I joyful? Stressed? Anxious? Fearful? Calm? Frenetic? Do I have enough money to feel comfortable? To share? What people are around me? Are they raising me up? Bringing me down? How much sleep am I getting? Are my teeth white? How’s my weight? Is my office clean and organized? I resist nothing, I just notice.
Now, I get to design a new outcome. What do I actually want my reality to look like? What’s the dream; the perfect world scenario? When I’m not really sure, I make it up… Time for me to make a new plan to step into that future. This is when I take a good look at what it would take for me to do that. I go to bed an hour earlier. I enroll one more client. I call that friend I haven’t seen in a while – the one who makes me laugh. What I do is TAKE ACTION. I MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Are you ready for YOUR new reality? What would you have to do and who would you have to be in order for that reality to be yours? Step into it… take the steps (baby steps at first, maybe) to have it… and own it.
What will it take to get to the next step toward your measure of success? Be creative in your thinking. Brainstorm with people who are already there – or have been there. Drop the “what ifs” and step up to the ‘HOW’ plate. Take a swing at “how to get to where you want to be”. (According to the California Lottery, “You can’t win if you don’t play”!)
The truth (or, ‘a’ truth): What you resist will persist. When you allow things to ‘be’ just the way they are, you can create miracles for yourself. Ride the horse in the direction it’s going and you’ll end up in the control of the reins. (And enjoy the ride)!