Your Anti-Goal List for 2014

(img: sam ames)

Shortly we will enter that famous time of year.

The one when we all talk about our goals for the upcoming year.

With great hope and excitement, we dream the big dream.

And you know what ... your dreams are possible.

We are living proof - we don't sip champagne and eat strawberries all day but we're living life on our terms.

It's been an interesting and sometimes difficult and frustrating journey.

But it's been worth it!

And we want the same for you.

Here's the thing...

As we get older we've realized there's more power in listing out what you DON'T WANT next year than what you want.

There's power in getting very clear on what you want to be different next year.

Listing out the things you want ... your "101 Life Goals" is a decent exercise but it doesn't generate the emotional energy required to change course.

And to change course you need a lot of emotional energy.

A whole lot.

We are all creatures of habit.

You get up each day and you do whatever it is you do.

And those habits - those daily activities that you do - are either moving you towards something new or maintaining your current results.

By listing out "your goals" you likely will not change your habits.

But if you sit down and list of all the things you don't want any more you may just create enough energy to change your course.

Things like...

I don't want to take crap from a boss any more.

I don't want to have to live pay cheque to pay cheque.

I don't want to hide any more when someone comes asking for donations from me.

I don't want to feel frustrated about my life.

I don't want to live this way.

I don't want to feel like I'm not in control.

I don't want to have to worry about my car payment, my mortgage payment ... any payments.

I don't want to have to take exactly 14 days vacation next year.

I don't want to have to beg to take off 2 weeks in a row next summer.

Sounds completely crazy right?

Stay with us for a moment...

We've found listing these types of things stirs up emotions.

And it is those emotions that can propel you out of a rut ... and into something new.

Have you ever seen a fighter punch himself in the face as he prepares to fight?

That's what we're doing.

We're punching ourselves in the face.  LOL.

We're using the negative stuff that we don't as a means of kicking ourselves in the butt.

We're using the things that we don't want to get us all worked up.

As crazy as this sounds you almost want the list you make to get you pissed off.

The more pissed off you get about it - THE BETTER.

Because that energy - may, just may - propel you into taking ACTION.

We know this sounds "anti-positive-thinking" and we're positive people.

This is just a strategy we use that has accidentally produced results in our lives.

Each time we've actually accomplished something of value in our lives ... it's come from a moment of frustration.

When we look back ... almost every-single-good-thing has come from a moment in time where we were upset with something and took action.

I'm sure there's some Psychologist reading this thinking we're crazy.

And they're probably right 🙂

We've hacked our brains and figured out a way to trick ourselves into getting results.

Who knows, twenty years from now we'll probably pay the price for playing with our emotions like this.

But right now it seems to be working!

If we go crazy we'll let you know ... but until then let's all get pissed off and go big in 2014!!

Until next time ... Your Life! Your Terms!