It All Begins With A??? Throwing Verbal Grenades At "So - Called" Guru's. Ya Think There's Only One Way To Skin A Cardigan? 🤔
Y'all know how I often talk about goals, dreams and ambitions... ((When I say "all" I mean the dozen or so people who are aware that I even exist 😆 )) today I wanted to dissect probably the most crucial aspect of trying to become successful.
I don't think it is entirely intuitive as a concept either!
Often we look at those who "appear" to have all the traits and trappings that we associate with success and assume that they likely always had incredible drive and resilience. We often usually mistakenly assume that it was easier for them because they had... Insert completely erroneous list of excuses/assumptions here
Oh you know the kind of thing I mean...
- They are smarter than I am.
- They had all the breaks.
- They knew people, after all it's not what ya know, it's who ya know.
- They were born in a place far more conducive to success than the crappy old town I live in.
- They had access to mentors.
- They are probably corrupt... Dishonest... Kick puppies... Blah Blah Blah...
I realize the ironic nature of generalizing about generalizations of-course but I think you pretty much understand what I mean. I'm not suggesting that any of the above are not at times completely legitimate but so, so often they are the excuses that allow us to stay in our "safe-space".
There will always be socioeconomic factors and traits of personality and situations that are a hindrance or a more conducive catalyst to success or attaining a state or list of things that we desire.
HOWEVER.
Tales of people from literally every place, every background, every personality type who went on to "make it" exist all over the planet to stand testament to what can be achieved by those who have a laser focussed, crystal clear vision of what they desire to spur them on.
So why do we not all exist in a state of blissful wholeness replete with the knowledge that any of us can be whomever we want to?
Ah that's an excellent question Dear reader, in fact you may say it is the question.
In my humble opinion, formed from many, many ((too damn many)) years of studying success, the answer is simple. It's because IT hasn't happened yet. No, no, no don't leave, read on, I'm not drunk I'm getting to what IT is next...
Remember the opening words of the title to this nonsensical musing post? Allow me to refresh your mind and I think you may start to understand and if not, fear not, I will explain and most likely confuse you even more.
It All Begins With A???
With a what? Well something I have deduced many times when reading of those who went on to do something great is the X-factor that lit the fire beneath their grand vision that they didn't know they even had within them.
Well don't hold back Steven - Tell us what it is! Ah, now hold your horses, it is not quite so simple. You see, it isn't really any one thing but it can indeed be anything. So many times in an autobiography or account of someone who made a great change in their life, built a business, overcame addiction or crippling grief or lost the weight that had plagued them or overcame massive adversity that they felt would always hold them back there is a moment...
Sometimes that moment hits them with an instant burst of clarity and understanding of exactly what they need to do. Other times the moment spurs what I call a "slow burner" idea that they cannot shake until they "get it" and act on their new found conclusions. Sometimes just such a moment spurs an extended period of saying something along the lines of...
I just cannot go on like this any longer.
That's why I say, "it all starts with a..."
Now there are many online gurus or success authors who would tell you quite categorically that they know the end of that sentence... We have all heard many, many variations of that phrase with a seemingly alternate number of endings. The one thing these so-called guru's would have you believe is that their method is the definitive, conclusive and the only possible course of action.
- It all starts with a goal.
- It all begins with a vision.
- You must visualize, meditate and ask of the bountiful and abundant universe.
- Make a goal list and pursue it relentlessly every damn day.
- It all begins with a ticket to my $5000 seminar.
- It all begins with becoming relentless and single minded.
You have encountered this right?
Here's the thing. I agree! It almost always starts with a single moment and a realization that either something is wrong or coming to the conclusion that we want something more from life. But you see, I don't believe there is any one method that is a "one size fits all" approach to a more fulfilling life or to achieve something that, right now, we don't have.
Nor do I believe that the moment that changes everything ((or at-least sows the seeds of change)) needs to be cataclysmic or earth shattering, in fact I think it is often mundane, or seemingly too simple to effect a sea change in the direction of our life.
I think that many times it all begins with an idea as simple as walking a couple of hundred extra steps a day for health. Maybe it begins with a graph that we see on TV, maybe it is a passage from a poem, it could be one line from the lyrics from a song. You may read the words on a billboard that you pass every day on your way to work that you have read a million times but today they resonate, strike a chord and compel you to action. I think we can all understand the next one, you read your bank statement and say "this far and no further".
Do you see what I mean though?
Something that seems like a tiny step-change in thinking can become the trickle that becomes a tsunami down the line. Imagine the husband or wife who has been downtrodden and taken for granted for the past 6582 days who suddenly has an instant of awareness and decides this is the finalday that will ever happen. Imagine the lot of the employee who has a tyrannical boss who belittles him every single day and has done since 1994 who one day comes from his coffee break and after the slightest sarcastic/nasty/condescending comment from the boss thinks "I'm going to setup that business I have had floating round my head for the last ten years".
What about the idea of reading a quote and thinking wow! That makes so much sense I have had my mind all twisted up and my priorities in how I live my life have been in reverse. It could be as simple as looking at a slight inconvenience that everyone has every day and seeing a different way to do what we have always done, most of the world's greatest inventions came to fruition that way.
I guess what I am trying to say today is that potentially, everything matters. Don't look at vast swathes of life assuming that there is no room for improvement or believing that you are destined to make the same unfulfilling choices each day because there has never been an alternative, that's just not true!
Take a step back and really look at your life, your family, your job, your view on your fellow travellers in the world and ask yourself it this is all there is and if so are you satisfied with that? Always be aware of and ready for that moment should it strike. By taking stock of your life as it is today you could perhaps reverse engineer that process and become aware of and actually implement that change right now.
- Who do you want to be?
- What do you want to do?
- Where do you want to go?
- Are you happy, do you wanna be?
- What would make you happy?
- What does your perfect life look like?
There is certainly no shame in realizing that you want more out of life, that you feel you were destined for something else. If you do hate your career, your job, your boss, your relationship, your finances, your lot in life what do you need to do to change it?
The clock is always ticking down on this one time deal called life, to live it to anything less than 100% of your ability is selling yourself short. Can you imagine what complete fulfillment feels like?
You may be completely happy with the life you have today and that is awesome, I am incredibly happy for you are there any small tweaks you could implement to make it even better?
Keep your $5000 in your pocket, I don't believe you need a seminar I think you just need a little time to take a fresh look at your life and gain some perspective and I guarantee that between your amazing mind and the plethora of online resources at your disposal, you can do, learn or become absolutely anything and everything you desire.
If I were to give one piece of advise to anyone it would be "chose to be happy". So many people go thru life unhappy and fail to realize that happiness is nothing more than a state of mind that only they control.
You make a lot of good points but for me happiness leads the way ....