21 Sep Five Steps to Making Things Happen
I’m sitting writing this post amidst chaos! I moved house last week and the floor of my new office is covered in books, files and boxes – some opened, some still taped up. My first job today involved unpacking a number of these boxes to find a screwdriver so I could put the legs on my desk!
Some of you know that I moved out of London eighteen months ago to fulfil a long-held dream to have a little place in the countryside. Last week’s move was the consequence of acknowledging that the little place was ‘too little’! I realised I wanted a home where I can host and entertain family, friends and clients. So, here I now am. Still in the Cotswolds but in a bigger house.
As I unpacked the boxes to find my screwdriver, I reflected on the key steps I’d taken to make the move happen. You can use this approach whatever you want to make happen – whether it’s a house move, a career change or a business initiative.
Step One – Decide What You Want
Realising what isn’t working is very often the starting point to making a change. When clients tell me what they don’t want, my typical response is: “So, what do you want instead?” When you can identify and prioritise what you do want instead of what you don’t want, you’ve taken the first important step towards creating something new or different. I say more about this in a recent post: What do you really really want?
Step Two – Know Why You Want It
Getting in touch with why you want what you want is the next step. The more you are in touch with your positive reasons for wanting something, the greater will be your motivation to take action. Make these reasons conscious, add to them, deepen them, keep them in your mind, as you move towards your goal, and revisit them when the going gets tough. They’re the motivational fuel that will keep you on track. In What sort of motivational fuel are you putting in your tank? you can read more about how to do this.
Step Three –Visualise What You Want
Walt Disney suggested that: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” To help with visualising your heart’s desire, review and reflect on your reasons why you want what you want. The more you can ‘see’ what you want, the greater your chances of realising it. And, to up the ante still further, do whatever you can to make that image more real. Take any chance you can to experience the dream so you can taste, feel, sense, hear, see what it is that you want. When it’s alive in your mind, your outer world has a funny way of aligning with that.
Step Four – Take Action
So, now you know what you want, why you want it and what it will look like when you get it, you’re ready to start taking action. In fact, by now, you may well be itching to get going. And, of course, without action, the dream will remain just that – a dream. So, decide on two or three specific steps that will start moving you towards your goal. No more than that at this stage or you’ll likely go into overwhelm. If you don’t know where to start, take some advice from David Allen – one of my favourite productivity gurus – and ask yourself “What’s the very next step I need to take?” Just that, the next step, not all the steps.
Step Five – Get Support In Place
Share your goal and why it matters with someone else and you will dramatically increase your chances of success. Increase your chances still further by asking them to hold you accountable for achieving your actions with a specific timeframe. Make sure to choose someone without a vested interest in you achieving your goal – so probably not a partner or family member – but, rather, someone who will provide positive support and encouragement.
And, if you still haven’t made something happen
If you’ve taken these steps but have failed to create your result, notice whether you are procrastinating or feeling any inner driven-ness, which could be getting in your way.
We procrastinate because we have conditions that have to be met before we will start taking action. More on that in What’s stopping you from starting?
Inner driven-ness is an indicator that we have fears and doubts that can be sabotaging our efforts to create results. Find out how to let go of these in What’s in the way of you getting what you want?
Dealing with these is key to keeping you moving towards the result you want to make happen.
FREE How to Make It Happen Workbook
And, if you would like further help with making things happen for yourself, download your FREE How to Make It Happen Workbook. You can use it for any result that you want to create in your life – personal or professional. Time and time again, clients who use this approach exclaim their surprise at what comes to pass as a result. I’m never surprised – but I am always delighted to hear their excitement at what they’ve achieved!