Impossible or Inevitable?

Degree of Difficulty

When beginning to work toward a challenging goal, there is a common tendency to dwell on the degree of difficulty. Sometimes this scares us into believing that what we are setting out to achieve is not really possible. Sure, we can describe the goal easily enough, but two minutes later we’re talking about how hard it’s going to be to get there. We forget that difficult doesn’t mean impossible. It can just feel that way when we hyper-focus on the potential obstacles.

From A Distant Vision to An Embodied One

At a workshop for independent business owners that I attended in Tucson last September¹, we were assigned an exercise in which we were to propel ourselves into the future. We were asked to imagine having achieved a big goal we had specified. The instruction was to simply picture it accomplished. In order to do this, we had to temporarily suspend the question of how it would happen. Once we felt ready to fully experience what it would feel like to have reached this goal, we were instructed to take a physical step forward.

As I stepped forward, a word came to me, popping out of my heart: Inevitable. Reaching my goal was inevitable. I said this with a calm confidence and realized my vision was already in play. I was working it, walking toward this future point, and all I had to do was to keep moving on the path.

Embodying your vision means believing it and feeling it. From this powerful state, you can then let your vision guide you to the right actions to take and when.

Before You Attempt the Inevitable

Action without an inspiring vision becomes a grueling to-do list, executed with no real faith, a vague sense of purpose, and little excitement. Before you attempt a big goal this year, check in with your own beliefs. What you believe is powering your attempts toward your goal.

Do you believe that what you are attempting is impossible or inevitable?

Each day you have a choice. You can dwell on the difficulty of what you are attempting, saddled with a nagging feeling of doubt, or, you can connect to the inevitability of reaching your goal. You can choose to be inspired by your vision and the “memory” of what it will mean to be victorious.

This Week: With a partner or alone, use the technique below, compliments of business coach, Terry Hickey², to see your goal accomplished.

Stand up and close your eyes. Have a partner read you each step and jot down your exact words.

• What resource could you bring to this experience that would allow you to have what you want (e.g., confidence, faith, boldness)?
• Think of a time when you had that resource. Put yourself in that moment.
• Now think of your bold goal. Envision it and feel it as clearly as possible. See it in front of you.
• Imagine it in your future.
• Tell your partner when you are ready to step forward into your goal and experience it fully.
• For the partner: Wait for him/her to fully manifest the experience. Notice how he/she looks and then ask, “What are you believing that allows you to fully experience this outcome or goal? What’s that like?” Listen and write down the answer. Now ask, “How will having this outcome affect your life?”

You can recall the insights from this exercise any time and ask your future self for guidance. Crystallize the wisdom you receive and remember how it feels so that you can tap into it when needed.

Notes:

¹The workshop referenced was conducted by Kendall SummerHawk: kendallsummerhawk.com

²My thanks to Terry Hickey, NLP Professional Business Coach, for sharing this exercise. Learn more about Terry here: terryhickey.com