Written by Ricky Goodall
As many of us know the secret to achieving goals is first the awareness that the goal exists; believing we can achieve it then acting on it. The problem is many of us get stuck in the space between action and acquisition. We feel like we’re “acting” towards the goal but the goal doesn’t ever come. Why is this?Although there are many factors that may hold us back from reaching a goal or desire the one I want to focus on today is living in alignment. Living in alignment can be understood as living your life in alignment with the next step of the goal you desire. For example; if your goal is to lose 5 pounds but you’re not exercising or eating healthy then the chances of reaching that goal are slim; especially if in your heart you believe that those two things are required to reach that goal. Now if your goal is to lose 100lbs and you are exercising and eating healthy but have only lost 5 pounds and are not satisfied then you may need to step back and observe the situation objectively. You have to determine which smaller steps are required to climb that larger staircase.
An effective tool in goal setting is the S.M.A.R.T. principle which stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound. Using this technique is a good tool for large goals but becomes an amazing tool when used to work towards the smaller aspects of the larger goal. If your desire is to own a brand new Lamborghini but you’re currently driving a 1999 Honda Civic and working a minimum hourly wage job then you need to break your goal down into portions. For example; if you suddenly won a brand new Lamborghini today, fully paid off how long would it be before you no longer owned it? Could you afford the insurance, maintenance, fuel and other costs that come along with owning a vehicle of that caliber? It’s not to say you can’t attract that desire into your current life; the point I’m making is that to truly enjoy and retain your desires you have to make sure you’re living in alignment with those desires.
Note: This is NOT meant to discourage you from believing you can attain your goal – you can achieve and attract anything you desire – this is simply meant to help you align your life with that goal so you can attract it even faster and more effectively and also to help you retain the desire you worked so hard for.
Now that we understand a little bit about goal setting and breaking it down into achievable steps now we can expand further on this principle of living in alignment and what it takes. This principle is not only something that you physically have to work towards but also a mental state of being. If you don’t believe that you are going to be a champion and walk the steps that you in your heart believe it takes to be a champion then how can the universe provide you with a bigger, better version of the desire you hold? You must live your life in accordance with the desires and goals you set for yourself and hold yourself in a manner you’d expect someone who achieves those goals to hold themselves in. If you’re eating junk food 2-3 times a week and justify it because work is stressful then you will not have a six pack for the beaches in the summer time.
I’ve created a list of steps I believe may be effective in preparing yourself to live in alignment with your goal(s):
- Be specific
- If you don’t know what exactly your goals are, to their truest nature, how can you ever expect to achieve them? Write out your goals in a specific, detailed manner and hold back no details. Don’t be shy or afraid to be very specific as no one is here to judge you and you are free to dream. Be specific and spare no details
- Be honest with yourself
- Do you really want the sports car or do you want more respect from your coworkers? Do you really want to never work again or do you simply want to find something you love to do so you never feel like you’re working? Be honest with yourself as to what your goals are. If you don’t truly believe from the depths of your heart that you deserve and want your desires then you will never have the conviction to achieve them. “To thy own self be true.”
- Be consistent
- Some people get so close to achieving their desires but give up on the home stretch. Consistency, perseverance and patience are key to achieving your desires. The bigger the desire the more of each it may take but it will come. “If you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”
- Release the parking brake
- Have you ever driven a car with a parking brake on? Maybe you forgot to release it before pulling away from a hill? Fears, anxiety, regrets from the past and other negative emotions act as parking brakes for your desires. They pop up in many circumstances to try to act like a parachute holding you back from reaching your desire. Let them go. Today you are a new person, different than you were yesterday with an entirely new set of potential circumstances. You are not your past and your future has not been written yet. Let go of limiting beliefs that hold you in a state of limitation and release the parking brake.
- Live As If
- I love this term, “live as if” and have for many years. This basically sums up living in alignment. If you want to attract your dream partner but sleep in the middle of your bed and have a messy bathroom you are not living as if. If your dream partner walked into your life right at this moment and want to use your bathroom you’d be stricken with fear and anxiety that they may judge you on that messy bathroom. Clean up your bathroom, clean up your life and start living as if.
Remember, if you want a desire to become part of your lifestyle then you must live the lifestyle in alignment with your desire.
