“Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible” St. Francis of Assisi

To Get What You Want You Need To Take Action On Your Goals

“I want to move to a new country.”

“I want to study one hour of Spanish everyday.”

“I want to be earning a living doing what I enjoy”

“I want a new girlfriend”

“I want to go on exciting adventures”

Our wants are many, but when you are not focused and don’t take action that’s all they will be. Many of us have the habit of only thinking of the things we want; in fact, we think about so many things that we want, that it becomes overwhelming to take action on any of them.

We dab in a little of this and a little of that, and as soon as we notice that we are not going anywhere we may stop altogether.

You need to sit down and really evaluate what your most important wants are. What are the things that you want, that are a part of your ideal life? Focus on only 1 or 2 things at a time, so that daily actions will produce results. Whatever we place our attention on grows; learn to become aware of where your mind is placing its attention.

Your vision is going to be a precise, clearly defined goal with a detailed plan and timetable for achieving that goal.

How I Need To Take Action

Below is a short example of my plan for my new adventure to complete by the end of 2009.

Step 1. Write a clear and precise description of the dream.
• To move to Costa Rica, to work on the things that interest and bring joy to me.
• To improve and master my native tongue, Spanish.
• Work on making a full-time living from the things I enjoy: Writing, consulting, coaching, and entrepreneurship.
• To meet a new girl who is interested in the same things as me, someone I can learn and grow with.

Step 2. Make a “Goals Page” list for intermediate goals that need to be achieved to fulfill that dream.
• Costa Rica: Research and begin working on what type of visa is needed, health insurance that is recommended, apartment, how to start a freelancing business, etc.

3. Make a “goals to steps” list to accomplish intermediate goals.
• Visa: Get an application, and get legal help if needed.
• Contact the embassy for specific questions, on what type of health insurance is needed.
• Meet with a friend who has lived there to get recommendations on where I should live and what essential things to bring
• Look at online classifieds for possible apartments in the recommended area.

4. List all tasks to be completed for each goal.
• Mail out application
• Write emails to potential roommates
• To-do list of items I need to buy
• Make copies of important documents to bring with me
5. Assign completion dates to each task and step.
• Visa Related: March – April (visa process for many countries can take several months, patience is a virtue)
• Housing: Have a good idea of the area I want to live by April.
• Business: Work on having my business plan sorted out by July, and how to transition it to Costa Rica.
• Writing on the beach: August 2009 🙂

Keep a notebook that you will use to keep track of your progress, review it daily, and see what action you can take. Remember to write down everything, by writing it you make it real. Every day do at least one thing no matter how small that will put you one step closer to making your dream happen. It can be as simple as finding a website or writing an email.

The above is just a rough example, not very detailed yet as I have recently decided that Costa Rica is where I want to go next.

Now That you have a good idea of what you need to work on, create a workspace that is designed to help you be productive and keep you on track. Create a process that you can use daily to work on your daily tasks. Create a mind map if you need to that will remind you visually of what you need to do.
Constantly remind yourself of all the benefits and why you are doing this in the first place. Otherwise, it will be hard to stay motivated, and you will begin to take a day off here and there until the next thing you know, you have taken the whole week off.

If you are not sticking to your daily objective you will find that deep down you have not fully committed yourself to the goal. Go within yourself and try and find the causes of why you are not fully committed. Are you having doubts or afraid you can’t do it? Be honest with yourself, you need to explore if they are real reasons you need to address or simply simple fears based on nothing.

“One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat. Every person is guilty of this mistake at one time or another” – Napoleon Hill

The Power of Focus:

Just remember that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Start today to do the proper research to design your blueprint. With a carefully researched and laid out plan, there is no reason why you can’t make anything happen. All that is needed is the committed execution of your plan. Hope you enjoyed this short article, and hope it motivates you to not give up on the things that will bring you joy. Keep growing, keep evolving, keep shining, and follow your bliss! – Ivan Campuzano

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