‘The greatest security is to plan and act and take the risk that will make you independent.’ – Denis Waitley
I’m an Australian, and we don’t celebrate Independence Day like the Americans. Yet I have been on a journey towards my personal independence, and it is my goal to encourage and guide others to experience the same in their lives.
In order to achieve personal independence, there are some required ingredients. So allow me to share just 5 of them with you.
1. Define Your Destination
When I packed up our belongings and left with my wife and two children to travel the world some years ago, we had one destination, and that was to return home safely at the end of a period of six months of discovery.
It took us to Zimbabwe, Nigeria, England, Scotland, Germany and the USA and through a whole range of circumstances, meeting a wide selection of people along the way, our global vision was expanded and our lives were changed forever.
Throughout that time we ate strange foods, lived in huts, rustic housing with no running water and intermittent electricity, hotels, million dollar homes, and even a castle – overcoming life threatening situations, insurmountable challenges, lurking thieves, and even diseases.
It was a defining trip for me personally – to discover the purpose for which I was born.
And now whenever I embark upon any new venture the first thing I do is visualize the destination, the goal, the dream, or the result that I’m working towards.
2. Plan Your Route
There are many ways to travel from Point A to Point B, and invariably it’s not in a straight line.
But say you are working towards a particular target in 12 months, then work backwards in 90 day increments. Identify your benchmarks you wish to set in place along the way, for that smaller time frame period, that will guide you towards your destination.
Then break those down into 30 day increments. Once you have those then define what you wish to achieve each week along the way. And last but not least – what are you going to do on a daily basis to build towards your defined destination?
3. Anticipate The Best
Expect doors to open. Give your best without any expectation of return. While opportunities wait to be revealed, always continue in a state of preparation.
Don’t gravitate to the worst. Refuse to be drawn to the negative.
Think well. Think great. Speak possibility. Fill your mouth with faith and eradicate fear through a positive confession. Read and listen to material that keeps the positive dial in your mind turned to the ‘on’ position.
If any form of ‘worst’ comes across your path then treat it like a television and change channels immediately.
4. Act As Though You’re Already There
Before I could really afford 5 star hotels I sat in the foyers of 5 star hotels. Before I ever bought a nice car I took expensive cars for a test drive. Before I owned nice furniture I sat in showrooms and smelt the leather.
Before I ever succeeded in business I kept the company of people more successful than myself. I purchased a suit. I bought nicely polished shoes. I printed the best business cards. I created the most stunning web design.
Before I was, I acted that I was.
The performance was not for others. It was for me – to once and for all imbed into my subconscious that I deserved success and was worthy of it. Through these actions I demanded success to come to me.
All future success cannot but come my way because through my actions, my speech, and my habits I have become a success magnet.
5. Take The Risk
If you don’t ever leave the shore you’ll never get to the other side of the river.
There comes a point where you have to leap the leap of faith. For the cure for all fear is action.
Do your homework. Have a plan in place. But make sure your goals are measurable and realistic. Here’s a good idea.
I was recently told of a threefold strategy when it comes to the pursuit of goals.
Here are the three plans you should have in place when you set a goal…
- Plan 1 – What is your goal if there are no problems?
- Plan 2 – What is your goal if you expend a bit of effort?
- Plan 3 – What is your goal if everything goes wrong?
You always want to live for another day – so in your risk management plan put some thought into it – but once you have done all the analysis don’t remain in a state of paralysis. Take the risk. For it is there where opportunity, prosperity and independence await you.
source : http://www.motivationalmemo.com/5-steps-towards-your-personal-independence/
