Chapter 8 | The Art of Setting Goals - Part 4

(Part 4 out of 4)

Request and Receive:

Here’s a philosophy from the Bible, teaching you how to get everything you want, it goes like this: "Request". That’s it! just ask.

Of all the important skills you plan to acquire, be sure to include the ability to ask.

Hard work doesn’t guarantee you a successful life.

Working hard is not enough, you must be a good "enquirer”!

Requesting begins the process of receiving - request is like a button that activates mental and emotional mechanisms.

Don’t ask me how it works, but it does – there are many things you don’t necessarily need to know how they work, some things are better left as “mysteries of the mind”.

Just let them work.

Some people are too busy getting to the bottom of things, they forget to reap the fruits (of success).

Receiving is not the problem - You don’t have to exert yourself on receiving, it will come naturally.

You must be asking: "If receiving is not the problem, what is?"

The answer is simple: you didn't request or stopped requesting .

How will you get something (for instance, a promotion) if you didn't ask for it or asked, but once - and only once?

Your boss can't guess on his own, you want this promotion.

And maybe now there aren't any available positions, why not ask again later on?

You see where the problem is?

Receiving is like an ocean – it's boundless, there's no shortage of the "product" named success.

If so, where's the problem?

The problem is some people come to this ocean with a teaspoon.

Can you imagine this picture?

So what is my advice? Look at the huge size of the ocean and replace this spoon at least with a bucket...

There are two ways to request:

Request wisely and rationally – Don't mumble, be clear and specific.

To request wisely means describing what you want, characterizing your goals: how long, when, what size, what model, what color…

Remember that clearly and accurately specified goals are like a magnet.

The better you define them, the stronger they will pull you. Give your goals a purpose.

Knowing what you want is great, but more important than that is knowing why you want it – knowing what your dreams and goals are will stimulate you, but knowing why you want them will push you harder.

Request with faith - faith refers to your "inner child".

Believe you can get all you wish, just like when you were a little kid.

The reason for this is too many adults are simply skeptical, they lost that wonderful childish faith.

Don’t you be one of them – believe, believe in yourself and in the goals you set for yourself.

Allow yourself to get thrilled (or even ecstatic), as if you were a kid – nothing can top that.

Children think they can do anything, they hate going to bed at night and can not wait to get up in the morning - develop yourself such an excitement.

Be as curious as a child. A child can ask thousands of questions and just when you thought he was finished, he can ask you a thousand more... this may wear you out, but in fact it’s a virtue you should embrace as well.

Be curious, ask questions – this is how you learn.

Let me conclude with a beautiful saying:

The human brain is like a farmer's land.

This land gives him complete freedom of choice.

He can choose to grow whatever he wants, the land won't mind.

The brain, just like the soil, will give you something in return for what you planted.

The brain too doesn't care what you "plant" in it.

Suppose a farmer plants corn on half of his field and a toxic plant on the other half.

He waters and nurtures the land - the field in return will give him as much "toxic" as it will give him corn.

The human brain is smarter and more sophisticated than the field, but they function alike...

The brain doesn't mind if you plant within it, the seeds of success or failure.

The brain isn't concerned if you plant valuable concrete goals or if you plant confusion, misunderstanding, anxiety, fear, etc... But the fact remains that whatever we plant in our brain - that's what it will give us in return abundantly.

Chapter Summary:

* Setting goals is the basis of real success in life. Clear and definite goals reflect your future, and provide the inspiration you need to move toward that vision.

* The five factors that influence your life: environment, events, knowledge, results and last but not least which is often ignored and has great influence on your life - looking to the future, your dreams.

* Without goals, it’s very easy to let your life deteriorate to a state of just "living" - you have a choice: either simply exist or design yourself a successful life.

* What motivates you to find the answer is - desire. Therefore, deal previously with your reasons and needs and then with the solutions.

* Look for the reasons why you should succeed: for example personal reasons, family and generosity and for the reasons that turn you off.

* Writing your goals:

- Write down goals that will stimulate you to carry them out.

- Sort your goals by year.

- Select four important goals for each period of time.

- Describing your goals in detail and writing them in you dairy.

- Review your goals once in a while.

* Request and Receive:

- Learn to request with faith, request wisely and rationally.

- Receiving is like an ocean – it's boundless.

* Your brain 'accepts' everything you 'plant' in it, being it good or bad, and that's exactly what it will give you in return, abundantly.