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Weaknesses of Wishing
by: Alicia Smith
When you're starting a business, you might wish for a
lot of things, like having more than enough customers or not having to do
marketing. But wishing is weak willed, having no momentum behind it. When
you wish for something, you're not coming from a place of having a strong
vision. Instead, wishes tend to be dreamlike, wispy and not grounded. Wishes
are future oriented.
To run a business, you need to be intentional, focused
and highly aware of the present for it is only from the present that you can
make things happen. While wishing is fine, your wishes need to be converted
into a vision, which represents what you want most. From there you can craft
goals and a strategy to reach those goals. Your strategy should be broken
down into easily doable, action steps.
Action is key to getting what you want for your
business.
Translating a wish into a vision is the first step to
creating the momentum to move forward. What are some of the weaknesses
around wishing?
1. It hooks you to the future. One of the biggest
dangers of wishing is that it ties you to an uncertain future. Wishing takes
you out of the present moment and puts you 10 steps ahead of where you
should be. Unfortunately the only place you can make changes is in the now.
Instead of investing your time and energy wishing about what you want for
the future, invest in today by taking action that can create that future.
2. Not intentional. Wishing finds itself in the realm
of dreams. Wishes are wispy and aren't grounded on the solid foundation of a
vision. An intention on the other hand is a definitive thought or statement
that says exactly what you want to accomplish. The energy around wishes
tends to be ephemeral, like clouds through which you can pass your hand.
Intentions, on the other hand, are focused energy. Think about how you feel
when you say you are “wishing” for something. Then, try out the statement “I
intend” followed by something you want to accomplish. Notice how you feel
about the energy around each of these statements.
3. Not specific. Our thoughts are powerful. What we
put our minds on and the thoughts we think play a significant role in what
we manifest in our lives and in our businesses. Wishes tend to be dreamy and
ill defined. This lack of specificity can lead you to manifesting the same.
If you want to custom create your future, your thoughts must be intentional.
They must be focused, clearly articulated, and very specific about the
outcomes.
4. Waste of time. Wishing for things is really not the
best use of your time. Wishes are like playing “what if” games -
entertaining, but lacking in value. Wishing for more customers is a waste of
your time and energy. But getting on the phone and cold calling prospects or
sending out letters of introduction is intentional. They are clearly
defined, focused steps that you can take to make things happen. Stop wishing
and start doing.
5. Keeps you in the comfort zone. Because wishes are
weak-willed and ill defined and because wishing is associated with dreaming,
no action is implied on your part. It's just a time for mental machinations,
a time to lay back to wish and wonder. Nothing gets accomplished that way.
You don't have to grow or learn new things or step out of your comfort zone.
Thinking intentional thoughts about what you want to accomplish requires
action. Wishes accomplish nothing; intentions move you forward to accomplish
your goals.
6. No momentum. The energy behind wishing is weak at
best. While this activity is pleasurable to most people and we all enjoy
engaging in it from time to time, wishes are the comfort food of folks who
are afraid to step up to play a larger game. Intentions, on the other hand,
call you to take action, to step up to being more, which will result in
having more. And, when you're in action, it's easier to stay in action.
7. It can be depressing. Because wishing is not rooted
in clarity and because it doesn't require any action on your part, it can
often lead to feelings of sadness or malaise. There is no movement forward.
There is no vision of a different outcome because wishing requires no change
from where you currently find yourself. It's like always being on the
outside, looking in. It's about hoping and wanting, but not having the
energy to open the door to new opportunities.
8. It can lead to negative self-talk. Wishing behavior
can also lead to negative self-talk. One is always wanting and hoping for
things and situations, but they will forever remain outside of one's grasp
because no action will ever be taken. Because wishing is a pure mental
process, requiring that nothing be changed, it is an exercise in futility.
You will never get what you want. This can actually lead to being caught in
a downward spiral of negative thought. One might start feeling they aren't
good enough or deserving enough to have something, when the fact is, they
could have everything, if only they focused their thoughts and took action.
9. It can keep you stuck. Stuck is the only place you
will find yourself if wishing is your modus operandi. Wishing is a mental
activity that leads nowhere. Intentional thinking is a mental activity,
grounded in focused thoughts, and coupled with action that leads to results.
Stuck or unstuck? The choice is yours.
10. It's frustrating. Wishing is extremely frustrating
because it won't ever lead to different outcomes. Nothing will ever come of
it. Circumstances will never change. Nothing can ever be improved. One could
not help but be frustrated when they will never realize what their heart
most desires. Change your thoughts. Be more intentional. Take action. This
is the quickest route to success and happiness.
© Copyright 2004 - 2006 by Alicia Smith
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