Step 1 – Targeted Focus
We know that our thoughts expand into our reality and manifest into different aspect of our life. The logical conclusion then would be that everything and everyone in our lives up to this point, we have attracted and are responsible for. Consequently, the solution to a better life is simple, all you have to do is ensure that you are attracting what you want, not what you don't want. An important point to make is that people, at least the people that complain most about their life, tend to focus on the negative aspect of things. Things like how much they hate being in debt, how tired they are, how overweight they are, how badly people treat them, how no matter how hard they try their circumstances never get any better. "As go your thoughts, so go you." In other words, what your mind focuses on…you will attract. If you focus on the things you don't like, you will continue to draw to you the things you don't like. Your unconscious mind can not differentiate between want and doesn't want. It only reacts to the focus of the thought or words. One time I was explaining this to a friend of mine and immediately his reaction was, "OK, from now on instead of focusing on how much I hate my debt, I'll focus on getting out of debt." Wrong! The focus is still…debt. All your unconscious mind hears and sends out into the universe is "debt," and that's what you will attract. Instead of focusing on getting rid of your debt, you need to focus on financial abundance. Instead of focusing on finding a better job, you need to focus on serving the world in the best way you can and in a way that is best suited for you. Instead of focusing on losing weight, you need to focus on being the picture of health. You must move toward something, not away from something, have a "toward strategy," not an "away from strategy." Move toward your ideal state, not away from your problem state…whatever that state may be.
Some examples of an away from strategy are things like the anti-war movement, the say no to drugs campaign, the stop the global warming trend. All these things focus on the exact thing they don't want. Consequently, if anything all these areas of concern are getting worse, we're losing the battle on drugs, the war is not coming to an end anytime soon, and global warming continues to be an issue. Ask yourself why the anti-war movement is having no impact on the state of the conflict currently in the middle east. Now ask yourself why the peace movement of the 60's was so influential and created such change. The answer is simple…the focus, the collective consciousness. The focus in the 60's was on peace and love, the focus now is on hating war. It is interesting to note that Mother Teresa never attended an anti-war rally. She would say, "if you are having a peace rally, let me know."
The fact of the matter is that when you focus on something, I mean really focus on it. You tend to attract to you the object of your focus. For instance, have you ever gone car shopping, found a car that you are interested in and then everywhere you look you see that make of car, where before you became interested in buying that car you didn't see them around much, if at all. Is it possible that once you became attracted to that car everyone else did too, and they all ran out and purchased one. Not likely. The fact of the matter is that those cars were always there, you just didn't have the inclination to notice them. Why..? Because you weren't focused on them. The act of being focused brings things to our awareness that wouldn't normally be there. Let me clarify. The things are there, the specific make of car was always there, we just didn't notice it because our focus was elsewhere. Once we focus on it we become aware of it.
Human beings are creatures of deletion, there are literally millions of things going on around at any point in time, we cannot consciously focus on everything, so our minds delete what it deems unnecessary, unimportant or out of our reach. Once we bring something into focus we see it, hear it…we notice it.
Exercise: look around and notice everything in the room that is red. Now close your eyes. Remember everything in the room that is green. How many things can you remember? Probably, not many. Why? Green wasn't your focus so your mind deleted it from your awareness.
The problem lies in the fact that so many people are focused on what is lacking in their lives. As a result, when a solution presents itself they do not see it because it is not in their realm of focus. They delete it. It's as though we go through life with blinkers on…and we do. What does get notices though is everything that supports their focus of what they're lacking or don't like; they notice the endless bills, how much they hate their job, the sad state of the world, the monotony of life and the problems they encounter. Life is trying desperately to provide people with what they deserve and with the solutions to life, but unfortunately the solutions go unnoticed because we are to busy focusing on the problems.
This reminds me of a scene in a movie with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels called "Dumb and Dumber." (Probably the last movie you were expecting to learn a lesson from) At the end of the movie the two main characters are walking along a deserted road complaining about the state of their life and the fact that nothing great ever happens to them. A Hawaiian Tropic tour bus pulls along side them filled with beautiful bikini clad models. The models proceed to ask them if they know two guys who would be interested in being their lotion boys and touring the United States with them for the remainder of the summer. The characters look at each other as if to signify that finally their time had come, or so we think, and then proceed to point the girls in the direction of the nearest town saying. "I'm sure you'll find a couple of guys there". As the bus drives away you hear the characters say, "boy those are going to be two lucky guys. How come we never catch breaks like that?" A silly movie, not really intended to provide any profound messages, yet if we're open and aware we can find life lessons everywhere. The lesson here is "don't miss out on the solution or an opportunity because you are so focused on the problem."
Step 2 – Visualize
If you can't see the finish line, how will you ever get there?
Being able to see a clear picture of your desired outcome is crucial to the successful attainment of that outcome. Use your visualization skills and see yourself already there, having already attained the object of your desire. See, feel and act as if you already have what you desire. When visualizing your outcome, remember that details are where it's at. Don't just see a vague picture of your dream home, see the details. What colour is the house? What finish is the house, wood, stucco, brick, stone etc? Does the entrance have a slate, tile, or marble floor? What do the light fixtures and window coverings look like? What kind of doorknobs are on the front doors? What kind of view do you have? Can you hear or see the ocean from your back yard? Can you smell the flowers in your garden? What does the landscaping look like? Paint a picture in your mind, one that you can come back to again and again. Oh, and by the way, don't forget to put yourself in the picture.
Step 3 – Positive Emotion
Focusing your thoughts and visualizing is like anything else it takes time and practice to get really good at it. The trick is to do it daily. Set aside specific times of the day to focus your thoughts and visualize your outcomes, make it part of your daily routine. Just like brushing your teeth in the morning or taking a shower. Once you hone the skill of being able to consistently focus your thoughts on what you want as opposed to what you don't want, and to visualize your results as though they were already achieved then add emotion to the mix.
In order to create an energy flow that allows your desires to come to you as quickly as possible you must allow yourself to feel the emotions that that particular desire will bring for you. If you are focusing your thoughts and energy on financial abundance and have created a clear and detailed picture of what the end result will be then feel the feelings that financial abundance would bring you. What emotions would being financially abundant create for you? How would you feel if you had the financial ability to give your family and friends the best of everything? How would you feel if you had the resources to help people who truly needed your help? How would you feel if you could spend your time on things that meant the most to you and that you enjoyed the most because money was no object? How would it feel if you had your perfect mate? How would you feel if you could live or go anywhere in the world without having to give any thought to the cost? How would it feel to be sitting by the pool in your dream home (that's assuming there is a pool in your dream home)? Tap into those feeling as you focus and visualize on your desired outcomes and make it as vivid and real as possible. Remember, you must see the pictures as if you already have that which you desire.
P.S. Don't forget that these 3 steps must be followed by "inspired action." Be focused, visualize your outcome, create positive emotions and then go after your desires with extreme persistence and determination. Remember, no one can do your push ups for you!
