Did You Say… Ghosts?

“Everything you see or hear or experience in any way at all is specific to you. You create a universe by perceiving it, so everything in the universe you perceive is specific to you.”

– Douglas Adams

It’s been more than a decade since my grandmother was around. She passed away, and before her death, spent her last years in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s disease.

Before she moved into the hospital, I remember visiting her at my parents’ home. At one point, she ran to the door and screamed: “What’s that man doing in the woods!?”

Startled and concerned, my family ran to the door, looked in the woods – and no matter how much we tried to convince her that no one was there, it didn’t matter. She saw him.

Now, this isn’t a story about ghosts or creepy dudes lurking in the woods – it’s about perception.

Everyone has a different view of the world, and it’s their unique view that determines their own reality.

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” – Albert Einstein

Think about it: your view determines your reality, and your reality is merely an illusion.

This illusion is based on stories.

My daughter is afraid of dogs. No matter how much I try to convince her that a particular fluffy, teddy-bear-like puppy is friendly, she views it as a rabid, teeth-baring fur devil.

To change her canine reality, we have to change her story from “dogs are evil” to “dogs are my friends.”

Many times, when I speak with a new client, I hear stories about competitors sabotaging their efforts… The economy putting a strain on sales… Or very simply, the perception that they’re stuck, that they’ve done “everything” but nothing’s working.

We get caught up in our stories, and instead of consciously moving in the direction you want, as Wayne Dyer says, we let the wake drive the boat.

If you’re not living the life you want, you’re unhappy.

When you are living the life you want, possibilities are endless.

What can you do?

Most people don’t take the time to think about what their ideal day and week looks like.

Yes, they want more happiness, more freedom, more excitement – but what, exactly, would that look like for you?

Write it down and obtain clarity in what you want…

Create your life’s “map” indicating the direction you want to go.

Then make a conscious decision to focus on that direction.

Write your own stories.

Instead of thinking you’re stuck, focus on all the possibility that exists before you… Envision what success would look like if you had it right now.

How does it feel? What does it look like? Who are you surrounded with? What’s the relationship with your customers look like? What are your customers saying about you? What are they saying about your products/services?

Everything begins with a decision – you either take control and make life happy for yourself… Or you wait for life to happen to you. The choice is yours.

Charles Gaudet is the CEO of Predictable Profits, a leading small business growth consultancy, and a best-selling author whose advice has been featured on Fox Business, Inc., Forbes, etc.

As previously seen on the Predictable Profits blog here.