The One Question You Need to Ask Yourself Often, “So What Do I Want?”
Life is wonderful! The kids are back in school and my time is truly mine for the first time in 11 years. Up until now, I have been working early mornings, late nights, and have had a few coaching calls during the day when I could count on an hour of peace here and there. Now that I have all this free time, I needed to ask myself this one question before moving forward, “So, what do I want?” For me it is simple, I want to help as many people achieve their goals as possible in the most efficient manner possible. This one question sets my course.
But what happens when you don’t know what you want?
Get busy deciding what you do want! One of the reasons why many people don’t get what they want is because they haven’t defined it. There are so many options out there, it is a wonder we can make up our mind about anything. Many people don’t make up their mind, they let other people decide for them! Don’t let this happen to you, be decisive. Practice making decisions by asking yourself honestly, “What do I want?”
Switch your focus from what you don’t want to what you do want.
Most of the time when people are in a negative state of mind or not feeling up to par, they have been focusing on what they don’t want more than on what they do want. Stop for a moment and ask yourself, “How do I feel?” If you feel good, you are probably focusing on what you want. Congratulations!
If you feel bad, you might want to make a shift and focus on what you want.
Get Clear on What You Want
Getting clear on what you want from life is a process. It requires you to know yourself more deeply than your current understanding. I have included a journaling exercise that should help you get clear on what you want in the major areas of your life, that way, you will know where you are heading and feel good along the way!
EXERCISE:
Get your journal or a blank sheet of paper and at the top write “Finances” and draw a line down the middle. At the top of one side write, “I Don’t’ Want” and on the top of the other side write, “I Do Want.” and just write. Write everything that comes to your mind about what you don’t like and about what you do like. When you are finished with it, take your “Don’t Want’s” and turn them into “Do Wants”. For example, if you wrote, “I don’t want to retire broke,” cross it out and write, “I do want to retire financially free.” The goal is to have a long list of things you do want. “I want a net worth of…” “I want to buy a…”
Now that you have done it with your finances, write your wants for your relationships, your environment, your work/career, your service to others, and don’t forget your body.
Spend time getting to know what you want from life and watch in amazement as those things start appearing in your life!