To Change One’s Life

So, how do we go about changing our lives? One method is to set goals and slowly, consistently move from where we are today to somewhere else. To do so, requires more than just another “to-do list.” It requires creating a life-changing vision.

When I work with clients (friends really) and help them set a personal vision – I look for the rare, special case. The person who wants to do more than just change their own lives – they want to change the world. That’s a big part of my vision – to change the world by helping at least 10 others change the world. In that case I am an enabler, a magnifier, a multiplier.

Personally, I’m trying to also change my life for the better. While a world-changing vision definitely leads to a changed life, even before I create such a vision I’m always looking for ways to improve and change for the better. My wife has created enormous change in me over the 25 terrific years of our marriage. She’s changed my habits (something I find near impossible to do on my own). She’s changed my eating habits (I actually do NOT put granulated sugar in or on anything anymore. I eat vegetables I wouldn’t even look at in the past – Love my broccoli. I pretty much avoid sodas.) She’s changed my relationship with God…through prayer and patience, I moved from the vague status of “a believer” to a practicing Catholic (have to keep practicing…it’s the hardest thing I can find to get right)! But there are some things I want to change that she doesn’t really seem to care about me changing. There are things I want to achieve that are not hot on her list.

That’s understandable. I can live with that (hopefully). But what that means is that I have to do this on my own. I want to basically do some of the important things on my goal list. Like get healthier, better use my free time (like by writing on this Blog vs. watching TV), and get back to my arts. I want to get back to drawing. And I have, currently, three books in work.

I’ve learned that a big part of making my goals come true is to find out how and when to say “no.” I say “yes” too often, too easily. There is so much to do, so much to achieve. So many people that need help. But to get things done…to succeed, I have to actually learn to say “no” occasionally. To stay focused. Not to allow myself to become distracted. I realized that was the secret to my spiritual health, that I needed to avoid being distracted away from God. To achieve my goals – will require a similar focus. So, as mentioned by Jim Collins (Good To Great) at a conference, to get it right, make a “Stop Doing List.” And then, as hard as we work to check off the things on our to-do list, we need to focus and stop doing the things that are not essential. For a definition of essential, for the things that we want on our to-do list, see the previous post on Golf-balls…

The best athletes regularly find themselves “in the zone” – a heightened focus where the world moves in slow motion, vision is super clear, and there are NO distractions. Seek this zone and achieve greatness – not in sports but in achieving any goal.