The princess did not start off dreaming about marrying whoever came along. She began with a clear idea of meeting a handsome prince who would be ideal for her in every respect. What is your handsome prince or princess in your work or your personal life?
To become a truly happy and fulfilled person, you must start with a clear definition of the ideal person you would like to be and the perfect life you would like to live. What qualities and characteristics would you have if you were the very best person you could possibly be?
Psychologists have described fully functioning, self-actualizing people as genuinely happy, at peace with the world and themselves, self-confident, positive, personable, relaxed, feeling that they are fulfilling their full potential, grateful, energized, and generally feeling terrific about life. If this description is a good goal for you in the months ahead, this book will show you how to become that kind of person.
Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.
WOLFGANG VON GOETHE
The Magic Wand Exercise
Practice the “magic wand” exercise. As you think into the future, imagine that you could wave a magic wand and make your life ideal in the four critical areas that determine much of your happiness or unhappiness: (1) income and career, (2) family and relationships, (3) health and fitness, and (4) financial independence.
One of the most important behaviors of successful people is called “idealization.” In idealizing, you create a vision of a perfect future for yourself in every area of your life. You practice “no limit” thinking.
Imagine that you have all the time and money, all the friends and contacts, all the education and experience, and all the talents and abilities that you could possibly need to be, have, or do anything. If this were your situation, what would you really want to do with your life?
When you combine idealization with the magic wand exercise, you liberate your mind from the constraints of day-to-day work and bill paying. You practice what is called “blue sky” thinking, a hallmark of top people and peak performers in every area.
Design Your Perfect Future
Practice “back-from-the-future” thinking. Project forward five years, and look back to where you are today. Write down your answers to the following questions:
1. If your job, career, or business were perfect in five years, how would it look? How much would you be earning?
How would your situation be different from what it is today?
Why aren't you already living this life and enjoying your ideal career and income?
2. If your family and relationships, your home and lifestyle, were perfect in five years, how would they look? And how would they be different from what they are today?
What is the first step that you could take to begin creating this ideal home life?
3. If your levels of health and fitness were perfect in five years, how would you look and feel? How much would you weigh? How much would you exercise each day or week? What foods would you eat? And especially, how would you be different physically from the person you are today?
What is the first thing you could start doing, or stop doing, to enjoy perfect health and fitness?
4. Finally, if your financial situation were perfect in five years, how much would you be worth? How much would you have in the bank, and how much would you be earning from your investments each month and each year?
What is the first step you could take?
Plan Your Perfect Day
Often when Christina spends the day with her husband she asks him, “If this were your perfect day, what would you do with it?” She asks the same question of herself. Then they find a way to combine their two perfect days.
If at the start they gave in to the fact that they would have to compromise, they would be restricted in how they defined their perfect days. But when each defines what would be perfection, their pictures are completely different.
In life, we often start off by thinking about all the restrictions and limitations that must be taken into account. However, if you start off by imagining that you have no limitations, you will be amazed at what you come up with. The rule is this: Decide what's ideal before you decide what's possible.
Most of all, what do you have to do, starting today, to prepare for the ideal future that you desire?
NOW DO THIS
Dream big. Start with a clear definition of the ideal person you would like to be and the perfect life you would like to live.
Imagine that you have a magic wand to wave over your career, family and relationships, health and fitness, and financial situation. How would you make each of these perfect?
Practice “no limit” thinking. Liberate your mind from day-to-day challenges by practicing “blue sky” thinking.
Decide what's ideal before you decide what's possible.
Design your ideal future so that you can begin to take complete control of your life.
Decide upon the one goal, that if you could achieve it within twenty-four hours, would have the greatest positive impact on your life.
Resolve to take one action immediately to begin creating your ideal life.