I love acronyms – WAIT = Watch, Ask, Invite, Trust. The faithful saying, “Let go and Let God” also comes to mind. It isn’t about doing nothing. You keep moving forward, but you are also watching to see what is happening around you that might play into what you are trying to accomplish. You are asking for divine assistance. You are inviting others (everyone you know AND everyone you meet) to help you with your journey. And last of all, you are trusting that as long as you keep moving, keep looking, keep asking, and keep trusting; what you need next will appear before you.
In life sometimes we get presented with these mind-blowing dreams. We get that million dollar idea for a product or a service. We see a gap (a need) in our industry and know that we could create a company and a brand to fill it. We think that maybe we could write the next New York Times Best Seller. We want to try out for “So You Think You Can Dance” or “The Voice” or “America’s Got Talent”.
I don’t do “pointless” very well. If it’s not going somewhere, serving a purpose, or fulfilling, it’s not worth keeping. No time to waste. No games to play. No room for BS.
– Rob Hill Sr.
What stops us? Plans – We think we need a plan because we don’t have the first idea how to proceed. What I have learned in life, is that nothing ever turns out like I planned, so why do I waste time trying to find one? The 500-page business plan, the life plan for the next 10 years. Those kinds of plans keep many people from even getting started, because they have no idea who, what, why or where any of that information comes from. They can’t see 5 years ahead, let alone 10 years. How many ideas did you have that later show up as a product – ideas that you could have brought to market, but you let the fear of having everything planned out stop you from doing it, and someone else is now the millionaire?
“Seasons of waiting are designed to prepare you, stretch your faith, and get you ready for everything that’s coming next.”
–Mandy Hale
I don’t mean that I don’t have any plans – what I mean is that I start out figuring out one small thing that will move me forward. I ask everyone I know what they know and who they know that could help me with the next step? Do they know anyone that might know the answer to what I am looking for? I always loved the 7 degrees of separation game for the Actor Kevin Bacon. It is true that you can find who you need to talk to by asking, asking, and asking on down the line. You ask enough people and someone will have the connection you need. When I have that step figured out, then I take another step and another.
I currently have an extremely flexible plan that I am moving towards, but I purposely allow for the divine to put things in my path. The divine knows what I am supposed to be accomplishing. I know that what the divine brings me is always bigger and better than anything I could have planned.
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.”
–Lao Tzu
What else stops us? Fear – We think that we will fall on our face and fail. So what? Everyone does, and they are all too busy worrying about their failures to pay attention to what we are doing anyway. If you were to read any honest biography of every important and not so important person in print, you would see epic failures in their life. The failures are where the best growth and changes happen.
“You’re mourning the loss of what you thought your life was going to be. Let it go. Things don’t always work out how you planned; that’s not necessarily bad. Things have a way of working out anyway.”
–Frasier Crane
The third thing that stops us is a lack of trust – lack of trust in the divine, and in ourselves. I find that a lack of self-love and self-trust are almost always at the heart of any matter that is stopping us from achieving our dreams. Like the runner in the photo, stop – take a breath – just stop with the expectations – breathe, let go, and let God. A bad attitude can literally block love, blessings, and destiny from finding you. Don’t be the reason you don’t succeed. Learn to recognize the patterns of self-sabotage, and block them instead.
What we are trying to accomplish will unfold perfectly how it is meant to.
“What you seek is seeking you.”
–Rumi
Successful people don’t have grand plans. They have one plan they executive every day. And that plan is simple and to the point. But, when learning goal-setting in school or at work, were we every taught this?
I agree. I was just talking with a friend the other day about how many things we should be taught in school that would give us “real life” skills. Budgets, balancing checkbooks, what the real cost of debt is, saving for what we want. How to understand our own personal gifts and then what kinds of jobs they fit into. Real life communication skills both personal and work related, and so on. All great things that fold into accomplishing our dreams.
What a great post Sheryl. We must be bold and fearless in life. It is important to have the courage of our convictions and faith in the wisdom and knowledge that we have learned, earned and experienced in life. Sometimes you have to step into the void and trust that you will land on solid ground.
Thanks! Having a big purpose to grow into and being curious certainly play into being bold and fearless. I love how when you are curious, all of the emotional turmoil you are feeling just falls away. You get so invested in trying to figure something out, that you leave fear behind.