Get Focused, Get What You Want
Not all that long ago, I was going through a very difficult time
in my life. I felt like my career was in chaos - out of control.
I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do or how to even figure
it out. My mind felt so scattered. Whenever I tried to set
goals, I didn't even know where to begin. I couldn't see the
light at the end of the tunnel.
I was speaking to a friend about my chaotic mind and she said
something very simple to me. She said "It starts with you Jenn.
Things are chaotic because your thoughts are chaotic. If you
want this to change, it's simple. Change within. Once you stop
being chaotic on the inside, things will come into focus on the
outside."
That was the turning point. She was right. I needed to simply
decide what I wanted to do, and set things in motion to get it
done. Sounds impossibly simple, right?
It is! Our outside world, is a direct reflection of what is
going on inside of us. If your thoughts are scattered and
unsure, they will create uncertainty.
For example, is there an area of your life that you want to
change, but you just can't seem to make a change happen? Take a
look at your thoughts, and where you are focusing your energy.
Energy flows where attention goes. So if your attention is
scattered and unfocused, you won't be able to put focused energy
toward anything.
Once you clear your mind and focus on what you want, your energy
has a clear path to flow in that direction.
Ask yourself, "what direction do I want to go?" Answer that
question clearly and precisely and you will have a starting
point. Once you have a clear starting point, you will begin to
see possibilities opening up in front of you.
Exercise Think about a situation in your life that you want to
change. Write an in-depth description of the situation. Look
over your written description. Do you have a focused, clear
picture of the situation, or are your thoughts going in
different directions regarding the situation? Write down your
answers to these questions: Why do you want to change the
situation? What ideas do you have to change the situation? Are
your ideas working? If not, are you putting action behind your
ideas?
The "why" behind changing the situation should be your
motivating factor. If your why isn't strong enough, you won't be
motivated to change. For example, when I started my own
business, my "why" was so that I could have a flexible schedule
to be available for my daughter. That is a very strong why for
me and very motivating. Your why should be enough to spark
action.
The other important thing to look at in this exercise is the
action you are taking. You can want to change your situation
very much, but without action, you will continue to create the
exact same situation. Ask yourself "what small action can I take
right now to take control of this situation and begin changing
it?" Any action, no matter how small, will get your energy
moving in the direction of the change you wish to create.
Your thoughts are very powerful. Get them focused, get them in
line with the changes you wish to create, and you can do amazing
things!