You Can't Wait to be Served

I heard this story the other day; a couple on vacation got a recommendation for an amazing restaurant and decided to go there. When they arrived, they felt a sense of euphoria as they were immersed in amazing aromas. They sat down and looked around. The food looked divine.

They waited and waited for a server to come and bring them menus, but no one came. After a few minutes, they began to get angry. Then the wife noticed that the restaurant was a buffet, and they had to get up and choose what they wanted. Once they made their way to the food tables, they enjoyed the best meal of their trip.

How often do we sit and wait for life’s blessings to shower down upon us and then complain when things don’t go our way? Instead, take the initiative to go after what you want. That requires that you know what it is that you want. 

When you quantify what you desire, you can create a plan to get it. Zig Ziglar said you can get whatever you want in life if you help enough people get what they want. The key here is that you need to know what you want, or you won’t get what satisfies you.

Being clear about what you want focuses your mind on success. It allows your brain to strategize and your imagination to visualize you achieving the life of your dreams. You may be wondering, how to fix your mind on what you want. Here are some ideas to help you.

Think big. Create a long-term goal that is astronomical. The bigger you dream, the farther you’ll fly. Don’t be concerned that the accomplishment could take years, decades, or even a lifetime to achieve. It’s the journey that makes life worth living. 

I started playing guitar with dreams of performing jazz standards. However two years in, I have hit a roadblock where I felt I was not progressing. I was tempted to give up. Instead, I am looking for an opportunity to change direction and find another path. One that will give me a fresh perspective, so now I am looking for face-to-face lessons instead of just studying alone. I believe that will help me get back on track. Thinking big will help you handle adversity. Knowing you are on a mission, not a date, makes a big diference in perspective.

Align with your values. A life worth living aligns with your core values. Consider how what you want makes your life more meaningful, fulfilled, and brings you joy. If what you want is counter to those foundational values, what you are all about, getting it will not satisfy you. If you have not defined your core values yet, this exercise from Brené Brown will help you.

Make a plan. No one knows what the future holds. But making a plan never hurts. A plan will help you to see the next few steps. It may also reveal sets of activities you will need to complete later down the road. Strategizing also allows you to be flexible. If you see something unfold in a novel way, a plan will help you stay focused on the objective while remaining flexible in your approach.

And finally, believe. Belief is essential to getting what you want. Belief will bring you challenges, opportunities, and growth that strengthen your resolve and prepare you to receive. Accept trying times as lessons. Celebrate successes as rewards for work well done. Then keep moving forward, believing that you will achieve what you set out to, so long as you get out of your seat and go get it. If you can see it, you can achieve it.