A while back, I had a personal mantra that afforded me great rewards: “It’s gonna get done and it’s gonna be great.” It was so powerful, in fact, that I offered it to anyone who would listen. Many reported back it worked for me them too.
But what do I mean by worked?
Something that appears to plague many ambitious folks is a fear that they’re going to fall short. They’ll miss the deadline. They won’t deliver. They’ll fail at achieving the goal at hand. While they want a specific outcome, they’ll simultaneously sustain worries they’ll fail.
The split attention required for this kind of dual focus seems almost comical to me.
Think about it. Does it make sense to drive down the road with one foot on the brake and other on the gas at the same time? No. But that’s the same approach many of us sustain in our attempts at accomplishing our goals. We want it, and at the same time fear we’ll fall short. Wanting and worrying at the same time not only splits, but wastes, energy and attention.
Imagine what would be possible if the sanctity of your focus were free from worry. By expecting it to happen – “It’s gonna get done” – keeps our eye on the prize. This optimizes mental and emotional resources by harmonizing them in one direction. Saying, “And it’s gonna be great,” makes you feel good and keeps worry at bay. According to The Broaden and Build Theory of positive emotions, feeling good makes room for creative options and novel solutions to emerge.
Why is this important? Because many of us have goals and dreams. At the very least, most of us desire to live well – to do good, be good, and feel good. While there are many ways to feel good – sunsets, massages, snuggles with fido, etc – I’m convinced that following through on what you said you’d do is on par with dark chocolate. To me, follow-through is the hallmark of integrity: keeping your word – especially to yourself. When this happens, not only does it feel good, but you also gain a sense of achievement.
It took me 45 years to learn the power of honoring my word to myself. But at this stage in my life, I see how it directly correlates to self-respect and self-esteem. And to me, there is no better path to feeling good than that.
Here are four steps to turn aspirations to reality:
- Decide what’s most important to you. What do you want to accomplish? A thing? A feeling?
- Notice your thinking. Are you telling yourself, “That would be nice,” “I wish,” “There’s no way,” “That’s impossible,” “Maybe,” “I’ll try”?
- Consider that anything other than “I will” is split attention. If you want it and it’s important to you, then just expect it.
- Be diligent in your internal dialog and focus. Refuse to have anything other than “I will” energy behind your efforts.
Why settle for anything less than “I will”?
Try it out for yourself. Think of a meaningful goal you’ve been working on. Tell yourself, “We’ll see. I hope it works out. I’ll try.”
Doesn’t feel very empowering, does it?
“Try” is one of the wonkiest words we use to attempt our goals. You say “try,” and what do you immediately invite?
Failure.
It’s one of the most insidious ways we split our attention, diminish our resources, and increase our odds of failure. Why? Because we invited it in the first place!
The way to get around this? Be choosy with the words you use. Be intolerant of the words such as “try,” “hope,” and “maybe.” Commit to “I will.”
Now think of that same meaningful goal and say to yourself: “I will make it happen. I will do it. It will happen.” Notice how that feels.
Our words create our world because they guide our focus and mobilize our internal resources in a particular direction. The question is: does that direction serve you? “Try” splits your attention. “Will” harnesses all of it into a singular focal point.
Adopting the mantra, “It’s gonna work out and it’s gonna be great” allows you to transcend the weight of doubt. It transforms your focus into a powerful commitment to your goals. It’s a simple hack to eliminate distractions and free your potential for achievement. It’s a fun expression of “I will.”
As you navigate your path, give yourself the gift of honoring your word to yourself by embrace the clarity and strength of “I will.” With this conviction, you harness the power to turn your aspirations into reality.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: iStock
