Practice being perfect

Practice makes perfect. We've all heard that mantra. If you want to be perfect, you need to practice. But what does that mean to this blogger topic, about getting what you want? Well, ideally it means you will achieve what you want in life - and you will perfect that practice.

Let's first remind ourselves about what we want. Did you try the lunch experiment at breakfast time? At breakfast, you are to make a decision about whether or not you are going to have lunch today. Just making that decision is an act of formalizing what you really want. It is easy to be hungry, and make the decision to eat something - that is wanting something to take care of an immediate need.

What about the future wants? You want a better job. You want a million dollars. You want a loving relationship. It does not sound like the same thing as eating food when you are hungry, but it should be exactly the same.

When you are hungry, any number of food items can help satisfy your cravings. How often has your mother offered three or four leftover food items in the fridge, and at your turned up nose and whining said "so I guess you are not really that hungry, or else you would eat that."

If you are still struggling to find a better job, relationship, million dollars - the only sensible answer is that you are just not that hungry to find it. You could be a high school drop out, and if you are determined to become a lawyer someday - you will achieve it, because your desire is clear and strong. And once you become a lawyer, if you truly do want to become a judge - your life path will get you there, because of your strong will to achieve it.

However, if you are an office worker, wondering why you can't seem to get a promotion, there is a clear and simple answer. You don't really want the promotion. Because if you did, you'd have it by now.

Okay, so the message about truly focusing your talents on your desires is clear. But how to do it?

Remember the lunch decision scenario? How did that go? Once you made the decision that you were going to have lunch, you can put that thought away and not worry about it anymore. It is the same with any "want" in your life.

Try it.

Think of something you want to do today. Anything, from a walk in the park, to gym class, or drinks with friends. Make a decision that you will do that before the end of the day. Go ahead, just decide! Tell yourself that at 6pm you will be taking that walk, or you will be in the gym, or having a cocktail with friends. Visualize that activity.

Really think about what it will look like, and think through the details - the sights, the smells, the sounds. The more you can picture, the more real it will become. You may find yourself calling to reserve a table at a favourite bar, or checking with the gym to see the class schedule. I assure you, the more you visualize the world as you want it to be for you, the more effort you will find yourself making to reach that goal.

So try it today.

Tell me about it.

And we'll discuss more visualization techniques for longer term goals soon.