I have been talking to a lot of prospective clients lately and I have noticed a common thread in our conversations. That is, we discover what their passion is, what lights their fire, then silence for a moment, and the next sentence is, "But I can't make money doing that, it just isn't "realistic".
This is the mindset that sets Successful and Prosperous people apart, from less than successful and prosperous people.
When we are born, we are not yet programmed to be "realistic." We Know we can do anything! We try new things every minute: We pull ourselves up, take a spoon and feed ourselves, take our first steps, begin to run. We have the inclination to try new and bigger things all the time. Even our parents and teachers tell us we can do anything, and become whatever we want. "You can be whatever you want when you grow up."
And then something happens, as we grow older, these same people tell us we must be more "realistic". We have responsibilities and we have to be careful. "You are too old," "you are too young," "look where you came from," "you can't do better than where you are now," "it's to risky," "it can't be done, so don't waste your time trying," "you're just not good enough so accept it, just be realistic".
The difference between the successful and prosperous, and the rest of the population, is that the successful and prosperous people do not think "realistically"!
I love what Will Smith says about it:
"Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity. Why would you be realistic? What's the point of being realistic?... It just seems like such a ridiculous idea to me to embrace the idea that 'it's not gonna happen or that's not real."
Look at Will Smith. He had a dream to sing... then to have his own show, then to produce. Through it all, being an inspiration to himself and others. And I think most of you will agree with me when I say, he has been very successful and prosperous
The moment you decide to be "realistic," you can pretty much guarantee, that little voice inside of you, that old subconscious belief system will dominate and whatever your dreams of prosperity, just won't happen.
That little voice in our head is part of our ego, and believe it or not, it is our ego that is keeping us playing small. It is our ego that is telling us to stay where we are, it is safe, don't break out your box.
As soon as we have a big thought, we check ourselves: "C'mon. Get real. That will never happen. You have to be more realistic." And so it continues. We mistake this for wisdom, and we don't live our dreams. Thus, we seldom reach the prosperity or have the lifestyle we would love to have. "It just can't happen, it is just not realistic"
Since I started in the coaching field and began reading and understanding more about our "ego", I recognized that simple prosperity is not a gift given to others, but a skill-one that anyone can develop, the skill to "Think Big".
As with any skill, it starts by understanding the process and then consistently practicing it.
According to a book by David J. Schwarts, "The Magic of Thinking Big," there are a few simple steps to this system or process to "Thinking Big":
Give yourself permission to dream. Use your imagination, the possibilities are endless.
Write down your dream. This is imperative to transform a dream or a big thought into reality. Amazing things happen when you commit something to writing. Thinking something, wishing for something, may make it come around, but it is the clarity that comes when you write it down, the clarity that goes out into the universe, that sets BIG things in motion.
Connect with what is at stake. This is your "Big Why". It is a crucial step that people often omit when they are told to "Think Big". Before you can find your way, you must discover your why. Why is this goal important to you? What will achieving it, make possible? What is going to change, what are you willing to let go of? What will you lose? Your "Big Why" will allow you the intellectual and emotional power to keep going when the path seems to shift and becomes difficult (which it will).
Outline the steps that need to be in place for you to reach your Dream, what would have to be true. Start with the dream and worked backwards.
Decide each day what 3 actions you will take to be closer to your outcome. This is where you transition from the "thinking big" picture to daily actions. This is where people often get lost. They lose site of the small actions that must be taken each and every day, which will take them to their goal. So rather than doing something, they do nothing. Every morning write down 3 things you can you do today to move you toward your dream?
Determine when this will happen. Someone once said that a goal is simply a dream with a deadline. A deadline is one way to make the dream more concrete-which is exactly what thinking big is about. A deadline also creates a sense of urgency that will motivate you to take action. Force yourself to assign a "by when" date to every goal. Then be sure to reward yourself! You deserve a pat on the back. You accomplished all of your actions.
Review your goals daily. Write them on a card, and read them each day 2 or more times a day. It will keep you focused and determined when the dreams may look impossible.
These are the simple steps followed by prosperous and successful people. Ignore that protective little ego voice that wants to keep you where you are. You can either accept reality as it is or create it as you wish it to be. This is the essence of dreaming-and thinking big.
As Mr. Schwarts stated in his book The Magic of Thinking Big "It is well to respect a leader. Learn from him. Observe him. Study him. But don't worship him. Believe You can surpass him."
Are you ready to "Think Big" and move to a life of Simple Prosperity? I would love to help.
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