Don’t wish, do!
Wishing for something you want is a sure way to not getting what you want.
When wishing for something meaningful you tend to focus on what you want rather than on how you’ll get it. You think about the beautiful vistas you’ll see at the top of the mountain, rather than the arduous yet more fulfilling, journey to get there.
Contemplating the end result is a mind trap if it is all that you do.
The idea alone of getting what you wish for is so enticing, so exciting, so rewarding in itself that it creates a dopamine driven high (for real).
You get high on the thought of having the great thing you want without having to put in any real effort. This contemplation is usually enough for most of us and more than often it leads to inaction.
So if you really want that great thing you’ve been wishing for, don’t wish for it! Instead, set a goal of getting it.
Shift your focus from the end result to the goal of getting the result. Then muster up your willpower and go get it.
Don’t wish you’d lose weight. Do pay attention to what you eat — it is the biggest predictor of losing or gaining weight. And start working out every day which can be as simple as going for a 15 min brisk walk to elevate your heart rate.
Don’t wish you’d be a successful professional with a big title and salary. Do keep on learning, working hard, and raising through the ranks by delivering on your commitments and building trust with the people that matter.
Don’t wish you’d have all the money in the world. Do pay attention to each of your expenses and make sure they support your goals. Do put money aside for a rainy day. Avoid debt at all costs. Do live more frugally so you need to spend less.
Don’t wish you’d find the perfect soul mate and be happy ever after. Do put yourself out there, meet many people, stay true to yourself and become the confident & beautiful you that a partner will look for. If you’re already in a relationship that matters to you, work on the relationship and spend quality time with your partner. Don’t take it for granted.
Don’t wish you’d be a great parent. Do spend more time with your kids in the most mindful way you can. Listen to them, chat with them, read to them, play with them, be patient with them as much as possible.
There is little room for wishing when you’re doing, and each step moves you closer to getting the great things you want in your life.
Once on that path, you’ll realize that there are way more dopamine jolts of satisfaction along the way than when you were laying on your couch with your mind full of wishful thoughts.
Don’t wish, do!
Photo by Andy Beales
