The Success Principles Series – Decide What You Want

The third topic in the book “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield is all about deciding what you want. 

Jack Canfield shares that one of the main reasons why most people don’t get what they want is they haven’t decided what they want. They haven’t defined their desires in clear and compelling detail. 

He explains that your early childhood programming often gets in the way of what you want. As an infant, you naturally want what you want, but as you get older, you’re told by parents, teachers, and society what you can and cannot have; what you can and cannot be.  

After many years of being told what to do and believe, most of us lose touch with our true desires. Somehow, we get stuck trying to figure out what other people want us to do and become numb to our own desires.

He shares that if you are going to renown your power and get what you really want out of life, you will have t stop saying, “I don’t know; I don’t care; it doesn’t matter to me.” When you are confronted with a choice, no matter how small or insignificant, act as if you have a preference by asking yourself:

• If I did know, what would it be?
• If I did care, which would I prefer?
• If it did matter, what would I rather do?

He suggests that you start by making an “I want” list of things you want to do, what you want to have, and what you want to be before you die. Don’t edit yourself; just allow yourself to want.

The reason this is important is that in order to be successful, you need to know the direction you’re going. You need to know where you are and where you want to be.  

To create a balanced and successful life, your vision needs to include:

• Work and career
• Finances
• Recreation and free time
• Health and fitness
• Relationships
• Personal Goals
• Contribution to the larger community

Don’t worry about how you’ll have what you want; just focus on what you want. The “how” will unfold each step along the path from here to there.

He explains that once you clarify and stay focused on your vision, the exact steps will keep appearing along the way.

The Vision Exercise he offers is designed to help you clarify your vision by imagining what you would have if you had what you wanted:

1. First, focus on the vision for the financial area of your life 
   1. What is your annual income? How much do you have in savings and investments? 
   2. What does your home look like? Where is it located?
   3. What kind of car are you driving?
2. Next, visualize your ideal job or career:
   1. Where are you working?
   2. What are you doing?
   3. Is it your own business?
3. Then, focus on your free time, your recreation time:
   1. What are you doing with family and friends?
   2. What are you doing for yourself?
   3. What kind of vacations do you take?
4. Next, what is your ideal vision for your body and your health:
   1. How long do you live?
   2. Are you full of vitality?
   3. Are you flexible and strong?
5. Then, your relationships with your family and friends:
   1. What is your relationship with your family like?
   2. Who are your friends?
   3. What kind of things do you do together?
6. Then, the personal arena of your life:
   1. Do you see yourself going back to school, getting training, or working with a coach?
   2. Do you want to learn to play an instrument?
   3. Do you want to travel?
7. Finally, focus on the community you live in:
   1. What kinds of community activities take place there?
   2. What do you do to help others?
   3. How do you make a difference?

He offers that once you’ve finished writing down your vision, share it with a good friend whom you can trust to be positive and supportive. Each time you share your vision, it becomes clearer and feels more real and attainable.  

Most importantly, whenever you share your vision, you strengthen your subconscious belief that you can achieve it.

Source – “The Success Principles”