“As is your desire, so is your will. As is your will, so is your deed. As is your deed, so is your destiny.” — The Upanishads
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have all the “luck”? They get what they want and make it look easy! What then is the difference from the super successful achiever and the ordinary person?
The one thing that separates people who achieve their goals and dreams from everyone else is they have a burning desire to make it happen! Yep that’s it, they know what they want and want it badly enough to do whatever it takes! When you desire something strongly enough you make it happen don’t you?
I’m sure you had a time in life where you wanted something so bad there was nothing that could get in your way. Of course, just because you want something doesn’t mean staying motivated is always easy. There will be things we need to do that we don’t feel like doing, and there are times when we aren’t clear about what to do next.
Having that burning desire is ultimately the fuel that will propel you forward. As John Maxwell explains in his book The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, there are three types of people when it comes to having, doing, and being what we want.
1. The person who doesn’t know what they want.
2. The person who knows what they want but isn’t willing to take action.
3. The person who knows what they want and who also takes action to get it.
Do you fall into one of these three categories? If you’re in the third category stick with it and keep kicking ass! If you’re in the first or second group keep reading.
The common thread between the first two is simply a lack of desire. Think about it, if I don’t know what I want I’m not going to be very motivated and driven to get there. I won’t make very much progress if I don’t know what direction to go.
As well, even if you know what you want, if you’re not taking the necessary action there is a desire problem getting in the way. (We’ll address this in a second.)
“If you don’t know what you want, you end up with a lot you don’t.” – Chuck Palahniuk
Start by developing awareness about what you want.
Do you know what you really really want/desire? If not, answer these questions to help you figure out what you really want.
- How do you want your life to be and what direction do you want to start heading?
- What are you most passionate about and what is most important in your life?
- What talents and skills do you possess that inspire you?
Knowing what we want is just the first step of course. There are many people who want to do or have something but aren’t making any headway. They lack motivation and end up sitting, waiting, and hoping that problems will disappear and opportunities will show-up out of thin air.
How can you grow desire?
There’s a saying that your “why’s” have to be bigger than your “but’s” in order to make change. In other words, the reason you want to achieve whatever it is you want has to be greater than the excuses and obstacles you face.
“As long as you feel inspired, your life is being well spent.” — Hugh McLeod
1. One way to do this is by having a deep and meaningful WHY behind what you’re doing.
Here are a few questions to find your WHY!
- What are your motives for doing what you want?
- Why are you doing it? How will you feel and what will your life be like?
- What does doing this really mean to you?
2. A second tip to stay motivated is to focus on small steps.
You don’t have to know exactly how something will happen. You just need to focus on the next best step.
- What steps must you take beginning today to start doing what you want to do?
- What is the next best step?
3. A third idea for staying motivated is to be aware of competing desires or commitments.
Sometimes we want one thing but really there’s something else we want more that’s getting in the way and causing us to delay taking action towards our goals. What competing responsibilities or commitments get in the way of doing what you need to do?
So, when it comes down to having, doing, and being what you want: 1. Develop awareness about what you want 2. Grow your reason why you’re doing it. 3. Create a plan of action to get there. 4. Build in accountability to keep you focused and motivated.
“If you want to be successful, it’s just this simple. Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing.” – Will Rogers
