Are you WILLING?

There is an entire industry that has been built around the precept that we individuals don't know what is we want from our lives; that we need someone else to help us figure that out. I know this, because I used to work in that industry.

What I've realised though, is that, at least for the most part, we do know what we want to do with our lives. We know what our dreams are, and what makes us happy. The "problem" arises with our willingness (or lack thereof) to do what is necessary to make that dream a reality.

Too often, and I know this will garner some immediate "arm's length" responses from some of you, we believe that the realisation of our dreams should be easy. But let's get one thing clear, and out in the open:

Nothing worth having comes easily.

I can almost hear the "new agers" jumping up and down, stomping their feet on the ground, insisting that, with the proper attention, training, and focused meditation and/or affirmations, achieving your dreams IS easy. My response to that is simply this: does having the proper attention, training, meditation or affirmation ritual come easily? No, it takes work. It takes dedication to get up at 6am every morning to visualise and affirm your day, or to meditate.

Life is NOT easy.

Personally, I wouldn't ask for it to be anything different. So the real question is, are you willing to do whatever it takes to realise your dream?

Having difficulties figuring out what exactly it is that you need to be willing to do? Here's a little exercise to help you out.

Think about your dream. Think about the fact that it's a dream - that it isn't your reality yet. Consider what it would take in order for you to have that dream, right now. Right about this point, things are going to start creeping into your mind, objections, justifications, excuses for why you don't have your dream already. These are the things you must be willing to do.

They might sound something like this:
I'm too tired when I get home from work to exercise.
I don't have enough money.
I already work hard enough as it is.
So-and-so needs to give me [insert excuse here] before I can do that.

There are many more ways this unwillingness to do whatever it takes can show up, but these examples are enough to get you started.

I urge you to try the above experiment. Write down the justifications, excuses and objections that come up. Start with a relatively small dream. Then commit to doing one of the things you haven't been doing. Then go do it.

As Jon likes to say, 'Thought without action is like chewing without swallowing.' It may very well taste good, but you certainly aren't going to feed your hunger that way.

I'd like to hear your ARE YOU WILLING success stories. If there was a time in your life when you were willing to do absolutely anything required to achieve a dream, and you'd like to share that story, please post a comment so that others can be inspired by your success.

Be well.

/pk

PS - A small, salient point I'd like to add ... when you show yourself, and the universe, that you ARE willing to do whatever it takes, that your dream is THAT important, quite often you will find it is actually much easier than you thought it would be. Not EASY, just easier than you thought. We have a tendency to make things seem harder than they actually are and this is one of the biggest willingness killers out there. Go for it. I'll be here cheering you on.