I really believe that we can make our wishes come true, achieve success, and at the same time impact others. It may sound impossible, but if you take these three steps you’ll be far down the road to success.
Ask “what if” instead of “how to.”
When something comes up that you’d love to do, start by asking “what if.” Avoid focusing on the “how” first thing. And don’t focus on the cost right away, either. Successful people first focus on “what” not “how.”
It is a matter of mindset more than anything else. Your mindset shows up in everything you do. As my colleague Fabienne Fredrickson (and others) have said, “How you do anything is how you do everything.”
Here’s an example about how your mindset affects everything. When I put things on my Facebook feed, stories about remarkable things that people have done, there are inevitably two completely different types of responses. Some people say, “I want to do that. That inspires me. What is that? Tell me more about that!”
But there is another subset of people, those who come from a place of scarcity and fear. Their questions are, “How did that person even do that? It must have taken forever. It must have cost a fortune. He could have lost his shirt. She could have fallen and gotten hurt. How do they do that and still have their possessions?”
There’s all the difference in the world between a what question and a how question. A what person says, “I’m really curious. I’m interested. Tell me more about that.” The person is curious, and open to seeing things differently. Her mind is not being blocked by the how’s.
A how person begins to question immediately, weighing and judging against their yard stick of keeping the status quo. If you’re a person who always asks how, it’s because you want guarantees. You want assurances. You want a no-risk life.
The thing is, it’s very difficult to craft a no-risk life. If you actually manage to do that, it’s going to be very dull and boring. It’s not going to be filled with abundance.
Whatever it is that your wish is, my wish is that you are able to think, “What about this? What would it be like? What is something I can do to move towards this deep desire I have?” We will all be happier and more fulfilled in life if we come from a place of what, not how.
Be a Model to Others Against Darkness and for Light
People need respite from violence and darkness.
When there is violence and darkness around us, it is incumbent upon us to stand still in the light. Be a model, a resting place for those around you. Be the one who does not buy into that darkness.
Don’t watch violence. If you watch somebody being killed, you participate in that killing. Your energy gets caught up in that darkness and is impacted by what you watch. Don’t watch it. Instead, be the one who holds firm to making your world a place of peace and making your life a model of generosity and love for others. It may not seem like much, but it is impactful. You stand firm in the light, never knowing what your standing will do to impact others far from you. Your light is like a pebble into a pond, it creates its own impact. That circle will spread out and out and out, in ways you will never know.
Make it your business to be the light, to model love. Don’t react with fear. Don’t buy into watching violence and darkness. Realize that doing so traumatizes you. You are holding up your hand and saying, “I choose to traumatize myself by watching this.” It changes your energy. It changes the energy in your home. Instead look away and find someone to love.
Pick One Single Thing To Work On Every Day
Pick one thing that you wish in your heart of hearts to be better at, and work on it every single day, even if it’s just for five or ten minutes. You can find five minutes to do anything every single day. Don’t excuse yourself from that five minutes for any reason. Just five minutes a day, find something that you know you want to do better with. It could be finishing a book. It could be reading something inspirational or devotional every day. It could be getting out and taking a walk for five minutes. It could be learning something on your tablet or your laptop. Whatever is in your heart to try or finish or improve, do that for just five minutes a day.
Summing Up
- Thinking about the what instead of the how.
- Come from a place of curiosity, setting aside fear and lack as your first reaction.
- Make yourself a model for light instead of darkness.
- Stay away from willingly watching violence through TV or other media.
- Work on something just five minutes a day.
The impact on you and the world will be unmeasurable. You will shower success upon yourself and those around you.
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