A few days ago while relaxing with friends, someone in the group talked about how much he admired what I had done over the years, how I had followed my ideas and visions and made them reality. I thanked him and was almost ready to move on to the next subject when I suddenly stopped and returned to what he had said.
Does this not hold true for everyone? Doesn’t everyone create what they envision? I threw the question back into the circle of friends and received some puzzled looks. Then they came back at me, sharing different scenarios of where things could have been different and the reason why they didn’t get or achieve what they believed they really wanted.
Those reasons were usually related to outside circumstances, Family, Partners, Work, Society, Government – you name it. I accepted that outside circumstances certainly were a challenge, but still insisted that within that challenge, each had created and realised their vision of life. How? Because, I argued, our visions are connected to our beliefs, concepts and perceptions of ourselves, and life in general.
I took my own life as an example. What had my vision for life been when I was 18? What had my priorities been, my values? I wanted to work, earn good money and stand on my own two feet as fast as possible. I wanted this work to include irregular hours (not 9-5), give me the opportunity to help others and the option to work and live anywhere in the world. There were limiting circumstances (my grades, my lack of knowledge what I was good at and really liked) but within these limitations the vision became reality. At the same time I would have liked to be in love. I had no idea though want kind of relationship I was looking for and was scared to truly commit to someone. So my relationships reflected this vision and I ended up living with constant doubts about every relationship I was in for some years.
And over the years, as my visions changed, my life changed. The more I clarified what I really wanted, the more inspired my visions became, the more whole and satisfying were the outcomes.
At the same time, when my beliefs limited me the outcomes were also limited. Whenever I said “ I would really like, but……”, the desired outcome did not happen.
We all create what we feel is possible. So what about starting to create the impossible? What about starting with the ideal and then choosing to go for it? What about asking yourself what is it you really want, how do you want your life to be and feel? What do you value most? Where are you and where would you like to be?
Then just look at your answers and decide to take the first step towards turning your ideal into reality.
