“The moment one definitely commits one’s self then providence moves too.” W. H. Murray
Which would you think is more likely to happen:
1. You think how nice it would be to relax on a white, sandy beach with a cold drink. You dream of getting away, of finding that perfect beach.
2. You think of that perfect beach scene, you decide that you will spend a week in Fiji next winter.
Which of those two scenarios is more likely to come true? Notice how the trip to Fiji gives you something concrete to work towards, and that will cause you to take steps toward making that goal a reality. So it’s much more likely to happen than your ‘wouldn’t it be nice’ scenario.
The same can be said for setting the goal for your business. When you have a tangible goal set, you’re more likely to achieve it. Just saying my business is going to be successful versus my sales will exceed one million next year is just the same as dreaming versus setting a goal.
Now, do you need a complete business plan laid out in front of you when you’re setting your goal? No! In fact, is that what’s stopping you from setting a target? Think of Fiji – you don’t know what flight you’re going to take yet. But now that you’ve set a goal to get there, you can search for the best flight, then choose the hotel and take care of the specifics.
So, what I’m saying is – set a goal, not a ‘wouldn’t it be nice’ scenario. Don’t let the fact that the whole scenario isn’t mapped out yet stop you. The quote I offer in the start here is by a man named W.H. Murray, although it’s often attributed to Goethe, it goes like this:
“The moment one definitely commits oneself then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.”
My goal for the past year was to reach one million in sales. I didn’t know in detail how I was going to reach it when I set the goal. In fact, my plan for how that was going to happen didn’t pan out, the path took a few twists and turns, but I still made my goal. So what you need to remember is that there is a perfect path for you from wherever you are right now to where you want to be.
Hopefully, at this point you’re not throwing up roadblocks to reaching your goal. It’s so easy to do, yet so counterproductive. Perhaps you’re thinking, “But I don’t have the resources, I don’t have the cash, I don’t have the child care in place”.
When you throw up those roadblocks, you’re talking yourself out of succeeding before you’ve even started. So that leads me to my second favorite quote, one by Doreen Virtue:
“God doesn’t give us our dreams without the ability to make them happen.”
The truth is that what you see as your goal, it absolutely is possible for you. But we don’t always see the opportunities because we’re so busy wishing our circumstances were different. So, don’t find excuses – set your goal, where you are now is the perfect place for you to start for you. Why? Because your current circumstances offer the seeds of everything you need to achieve this goal.
So, when you make it to Fiji next winter, please send me a postcard!
Commit To Your Goals And It Will Happen