Sorting out your Priorities; an exercise for you

How can you clear the clutter in your mind that stops you from doing what you really want to do?

One of the biggest challenges I come across in my classes and coaching is a lack of direction. When given an opportunity to do, have or be anything you want, your mind can suddenly go blank. Take a moment to try this exercise adapted from “the Power of Focus” by Jack Canfield and company!(link).

Exercise:

Write down 30 things that you would like to have ,do or be.

How hard was that?

Now expand the list to 99 items and put a timescale next to each one eg one year , three years or five years..

You may need to take a couple of breaks before you get to the end of the list but I promise you that it is an exercise well worth doing. We are starting to work on expanding our potential by exploring our desires and possibilities.

Some of us may declare that we are quite happy as we are. Yes we may be happy but just like the rest of nature , we are here to grow and keeping our eyes half closed is denying our true nature. Many of my students have struggled with this exercise initially ,only to then reach a point where they are joyous with excitement as they let the ball of desire run away with them!

Let yourself dream and get carried away with possibilities. Dare to go a little crazy!

There is a giant asleep within every man

When the giant awakes, miracles happen

Frederick Faust (1892-1944)

This is your private list and nobody is saying that you actually have to DO anything on your list. This is a chance to really explore yourself and your own personal desires.

When you have your list and have wallowed in the sensation of “having it all”, go back through the list and apply the simple word “why?” to each item. This is your filter. This is where you

find out what you really really want!

Underneath the word ”why” write down the reasons why you want this item. It is important to physically write your answer in order to bring it from the subconscious to the conscious.

Now comes the really exciting part!

This is where you get to discover your true priorities! Not by asking a guru or a coach but by asking yourself. Many of us have spent our whole lives doing what was expected of us or what would make others happy. We actually have all the answers within us and it is now time to trust our own inner voice!

“ we come into this world alone and we leave it alone so sooner or later we need to start listening to ourselves”

Marie-Claire

Get yourself several large pieces of paper ( Flipchart size would be fabulous although I managed perfectly well with normal A4 portrait size). Taking the first sheet of paper write down the list of your priorities for the first timescale eg for the coming year. Write these down as a column to the far left of your piece of paper. Do the same for each different timescale on separate sheets of paper.

We are now going to apply the “knock out tournament” rules. Taking the first two items on one of your lists, decide which one is most important to you and write it down in a second new column. Do the same for numbers 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7and 8 etc When you have completed a second column which will contain half the number of items than the first column, repeat the process to create a third column. Keep repeating until you are left with 8 items , and then four, then two and finally your one biggest priority for that chosen timescale. Wow! Well done!

I remember being quite surprised to find that my weight was effectively my top priority. My intellect told me that there were far more important things to address but inside I knew that my weight was a reflection of my self esteem and so it was my top priority.

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius power and magic in it. Begin it now “ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Life then gets easier! By focusing on your top priority, you clear the way for new possibilities. By listening to your heart and by acting on it, you can find a way forward that enhances your overall happiness and self esteem!

It worked for me and I only ever pass on “stuff” that’s worked for me. Have a go and let me know how you get on. This simple exercise could change your life!

Or you may wish to find out more and order the book

“the Power of Focus” by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt. Just click through to it here:

Next time, Ill be sharing with you the secret I found of how to successfully lose weight and have loads more energy, focus and clarity!

So , until next time,

MC