Do you set big goals for yourself, but you never seem to achieve them? Or do you find yourself compromising too often, watering down your goals into something more “manageable,” year after year?
Frustrating, I know. I’ve been there. And if you’re in that position right now, this article will introduce you to a breakthrough solution that just might change everything for you this year.
But let me get a few things out of the way as early as now: It’s probably NOT because your goals are too high, and it’s probably NOT because you’re “too weak” or “too stupid” or any of that nonsense.
Rather, it’s much less a matter of incompetence, and much more a matter of INCONGRUENCE.
Let me explain…
Why Avid Goal-Setters Tend to Fail Along the Way
Most hardworking, goal-setting men make this mistake:
They set their goals using rationalization, and THEN they try to achieve them using the same.
The first part of that approach is on target – you MUST use rationalization to set your goals. You decide where you want to go in life, you find out where you are right now, and then you make a detailed, attainable “game plan” to bridge the gap between the two points. Smart move.
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So obviously, you’ll need a different approach – and it involves re-programming your “autopilot” mode.
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The second part, on the other hand, is way off. If you tried to achieve your goals using rationalization (or even willpower), you’ll end up running out of gas before long.
Why? Simple – rationalization and willpower are finite resources. If you rely on them every single time you need to get something done, you’ll burn out really soon, and you’ll find yourself operating on autopilot.
It’s the reason why you always start out with guns blazing when you set a new goal for yourself. But a few weeks later, you find yourself utterly lost in the daily grind, operating on autopilot and steadily losing sight of your original goal.
So obviously, you’ll need a different approach – and it involves re-programming your “autopilot” mode.
About Your Unique “Autopilot” Mode
The human brain has two parts: Conscious and non-conscious.
The conscious brain controls the part of the mind that’s “awake” – actively observing the world around it, analyzing, rationalizing, problem-solving, and so on. It’s the part of the mind you control.
The non-conscious brain, on the other hand, is NOT rational. It’s rather primitive – almost reptilian in nature – and it’s almost 100% instinctual. It doesn’t rationalize – it just reacts, based on instincts hard-wired by Mother Nature (things like heartbeat, breathing, and the fight-or-flight reflex) and habits formed over time.
The non-conscious mind is your “autopilot.” And it’s a THOUSAND TIMES MORE POWERFUL than your conscious mind.
And that’s the problem: For many men, their conscious and non-conscious minds are not aligned with each other. They might consciously pursue big goals, but their habits, mindsets, and instincts drive them into the opposite direction.
If you struggle to lose weight, or start a business, or get ahead with your career, etc. simply because you keep falling back into your comfort zone… then your problem is incongruence, not incompetence.
Let’s fix that today.
Reprogramming Your Autopilot for Success
Ever heard of “cybernetics”? It’s basically a body of study about systems that are made automatic by feedback loops.
Here’s a good example of machine cybernetics – the thermostat in your house’s heating system. If the indoor temperature is too low (feedback), it automatically turns up the heat – and if it’s too high (also feedback), it automatically dials back. As a result, the house is comfortable ‘round the clock.
Now here’s the thing: Mankind has actually studied HUMAN cybernetics long before machine cybernetics. And over the millennia, various civilizations have come up with various methods to harness the power of our non-conscious minds – prayer, meditation, mental visualization, the Law of Attraction, and hundreds more – to develop more effective human beings.
Let’s try it out right now. Take a sheet of paper and a pen, and follow the instructions below:
Step #1: Write down one of your big goals in life – preferably one you’ve been struggling to achieve for some time, with little to no success.
Step #2: Write down the mindsets, habits, instincts, or systems you have to put into place to achieve that goal. Let’s say you want to start a new business. Do you need to start getting up at 3AM? Do you need to make exercise a regular part of your day? Do you need to make sure you put in at least 8 solid hours of work each day? Write them down.
Step #3: Take one mindset/habit/instinct/system from the list you just wrote down, and visualize it – but visualize it in a POSITIVE way.
For instance, don’t say, “Get up at 3AM” – instead, visualize enjoying the crisp early morning air, having a wonderful breakfast, putting in a few solid hours of work, and having most of your work done before others in your household wake up.
Another example: Don’t say “Get some exercise” – instead, visualize yourself waking up each day brimming with energy, being able to work all day without burning out, and not getting sick so much anymore… all the result of a good workout regimen.
Step #4: Hammer your new habit home. Consistency is key, and this is where your willpower comes in. You’ll need to consciously do your new habit for 21 straight days to make it part of your “autopilot.”
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You’re re-programming your habits, beliefs, and instincts, and re-aligning them with your conscious goals… and as a result, getting what you want out out of life becomes that much easier.
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If you slip and miss a day, start over at Day 1. Don’t stop until you hit 21 straight days. And if you want to make sure your new habit stays with you all your life, push it to 30 days.
Repeat Steps #3 and #4 with every new system you want to put into place. If you hammer home even just a few good habits this year, it will springboard you that much closer to your goals – closer than you’ve ever been in your life.
Does Any of This Sound Familiar?
If all of this sounds to you like the Law of Attraction or some other New Age practice, you’d be partially right. The Law of Attraction is just one of the many methods/practices to program the non-conscious mind that have arisen over the centuries.
But a big reason why the Law of Attraction brings you closer to your goals… why meditation helps you focus better… and why praying to God results in miracles… is because it changes YOU in the deepest way possible.
You’re re-programming your habits, beliefs, and instincts, and re-aligning them with your conscious goals… and as a result, getting what you want out out of life becomes that much easier.
So try it out right now, one habit/belief at a time. By this time next year, you’ll have taken a quantum leap towards that elusive goal of yours.
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Photo: Getty Images
