February 14th, 2010 by rob white
I find that with a little organized planning, I am able to defeat what is often trying to defeat me … and, I do not have to assume a frozen face and wear myself out to achieve my aspiration. These four steps keep me on track:
The first step to the process of triumphant living is to know what you want. Certainly, I cannot get what I want if I am not clear about what that is. I’ve learned over the years that I want to be sure it is what interests me, and not just something I think I want because the world will insist it knows what’s best for me.
The second step to the process is to step back and observe what is between you and the fulfillment of that desire. If there wasn’t anything between me and the desire, then I’d have it already. Is it a skill I need to hone? Perhaps some hard work needs doing; work that I have ten excuses trying to avoid? Maybe it’s taking a risk and believing in myself?
The third step of the process of triumphant living is the awakening: “Do you mean that if it is to be it is up to me?” When I grasp this, there is no disturbance that can permanently shake me. I am on my way to victory.
The fourth step of the process is saying ‘DO IT’ and then doing whatever it takes to get the job done. When your word to yourself is that powerful, you will never be the same again; you unleash yourself from the limitations that ‘YOU’ impose on you.
Wow, I love that blog. It is so obvious to me. The fourth step is where I fail; I say ‘do it’ and then I come up with a thousand excuses why I do not have the time.
I think the hardest part is the first step. I have so many ideas but they eventually fall to the wayside. When I am really focused the last steps comes easily. Really ‘knowing what you want’ (and are passionate about) is exceedingly rare.
And… what kind of hat is that?
Know what I want! I am not sure what I want because my girlfriends bombard me with so may suggestions of what they think I want. I guess I want to start thinking for myself.
That’s an Admiral’s hat.
Defeating what is defeating me is key when it comes to my mood. I get so temperamental that I do not even know what I want. Thanks for the clarity.
I should have known that was an Admiral’s hat (being a salty sailor man myself, ArtistNick, but it looks more like what Napoleon wore – was he an admiral?
Napoleon was an emperor Noteman wears many hats, including this one that looks like an admirals hat… but sometimes he may get confused.
Step two: observing what is between me and my desire is simple = my negative attitude. That is what I need to deal with if I am to get my law degree.
I am going to say step three is the big one for me: awakening to the fact that ‘if it is to be it is up to me.’ Oh, how I have hoped someone else would come along and make me successful. funny!
Step four is the killer for me. I often say “Do it” to myself, but I then let myself down by coming up with an excuse for not doing it. Self-discipline – that is where I need more training.
I can see that I cannot organize my weekly plans if I do not take step one. I sometimes do not know what I want from my week and by the end of the week I get very little out of it. Thanks.
What’s between me and the fulfillment of my desires is my environment. I can’t seem to get out of the muddy neighborhood. Any tips?
Perhaps you need to up and move, Marty. I know people who have done this and started with a clean slate someplace else. I know it’s dramatic, but sometimes that is what it takes. Especially if you mean it.
Knowing what I want is the stickler for me (step 1) I know what my parents want for me but I am not sure it is what I want for me.
Observing what’s between me and my desires reveals very clearly that it is mostly my despondency. Yet, dropping that can be a big challenge in this restless world.
My plans are organized but my life isn’t, and that’s because I tend to look for excuses when times get rough.
This blog speaks to me. I need to awaken myself to when I say “do It” and then proceed to do something else. Little wonder I am always falling behind.
‘the awakening’ = if it is to be it is up to me …. that is a tought one for me. I love blaming others for my ills.
I can feel it when I unleash myself from my own self-imposed limits by being honest with myself and doing what I promise myself I will do. It feel powerful to know I can depend upon myself.
My husband and I were unclear about the the kind of home we wanted to buy. We came up with a dozen excuses to buy nothing. Once we got clear, we purchased the perfect condo in six months.
A ‘process of successful living’. I like that. successful living is a process. It’s not luck. I have proven that to myself with raising my family and with my business. Stay awake to the process and you can’t fail
Do you know what I have defeated that was defeating me? The smoking habit. What a difference quitting smoking has made!
It is step three: THE AWAKENING … that I need most to pay attention to: ‘if it is to be it is up to me’. How I so want to blame others.
Saying “do it” and then just doing it seems too easy. What’s the step in between that makes the words “do it” have clout?
Hi Marty; in response to your question: The step that gives ‘clout’ to saying “do it now” and then doing it – is inner command, which is essential to all progress. All progress requires stepping onto that thinking ladder over and over again and conditioning the mind so it supports you with your aspirations.
I have a desire that I want to fulfill – lose 40 lbs. What stands between me and the fulfillment of that desire is a refrigerator filled with icecream and a pantry shelf filled with cookies.
I am willing to do what it takes to get a reliable car. I am working a second job and cutting back on my spending habits. It feel empowering to do what it takes.
If you want a reliable car at half price, go on Ebay; there are a lot of deals there, Mark
Ebay sucks. You don’t know what you’re buying until after you bought it. Bad advice, Francis. The blog says ‘know what you want’. ‘Knowing’ is step 1. How to get what you want is step 2.
One of the great tips my father gave me was to plan my life and live my plans. That is a great way to speak of the power of ‘organized planning’; without the doing ladder, the plans are still empty.
I say ‘do it now’ but I don’t do whatever it takes to get it done. My father calls me lazy. Is that all there is to it?
The big limitation that I impose upon myself is the feeling of inadequacy when around women. I am short, and I feel that makes me inferior. I know it is stupid, but I can’t seem to shake it.
There is no disturbance that can permanently shake me. I hit a squirrel with my car the other day and it shook me up, but not permanently. Now I have to use this advice on more traumatic matters when they arise, I can see it could help.
The skill I need to hone is noticing what is between me and my dreams. I just jump in and then get swamped because I haven’t thought it out.
Triumphant Living – now that has a nice ring to it. I have been experiencing just that lately with a new baby girl and a new job. I like it.
Not many disturbances shake me, but one did shake me last week. The elevator broke while I was in it – what a jolt. It shook me up, outside and inside.
I find myself wearing a frozen face whenever my boss walks into my office. He picks up on it and it causes distance between us. It is me, not him, that causes the problem. I am working on being more affable.
I find it easier to defeat what is defeating me when I slow down and relax. Usually what defeats me is my own impatience.
I took the four step to successfully succeed at selling my beach house in this rocky real estate market. With persistence, it worked, and I found the perfect person who loved it and paid the price I wanted.
When we act in ways that are purposeful, Munson, we find we always attract the right and perfect people or circumstances to support us.
I love acting in a purposeful way. I find that I often get caught up reacting emotionally. There’s no purpose to it, and the consequences show.
I can feel it when I impose limitations on myself, like playing in the annual softball league at work. I get too nervous and ultimately make errors that are my own fault. When I don’t get overly concerned, I do much better.
I am terrible at sports even when I spend a whole week before the sporting event trying to feel confident by imagining I do well. It can be testing to break old insecurities.
Hey Salty Sailor Man, I think knowing what we want and being passionate about it is only rare when we really don’t know what we want, but think we do.
I love saying ‘DO IT’ and then backing up my words by climbing it up the doing ladder (as you taught me in 180). It has changed my way of looking at myself.
I am able to defeat whatever is defeating me when I remind myself that ‘if it is to be, it is up to me’! I love that one.
Step three is the big step for me; admitting ‘that if it is to be it is up to me’. I have a bad habit of hoping someone else will take care of the difficult things in my life.
These four steps of triumphant living, acted on in my own unqiue way, got me the job I was competing with 10 others people for.
This process of triumphant can be explained in many ways – the important thing is that it works if we put our energy into it. Thanks.