How to get what you want
Have you ever wanted something so bad that it’s all you ever think about?
Do you have dreams about how you’d like your life to be but somehow it never moves beyond a dream?
I’ve had a dream for over a decade that started when I was studying for my degree in Computer Science back in the late 1990s.
To elaborate I need to take you back in time.
When I was at school, I remember the geeks talking about something called a calculator but because I had no idea what they were talking I’d just pretend I got it. A few years later whilst working at the Ministry of Defence, in a top-secret building, yep, I did that too, a huge box appeared in our office. When I say box, I mean something they called a computer and it took up most of the office space. Again, I had no idea what it did or what I was supposed to do with it. But I was reassured that I’d be trained to use it. Five years later I moved to Cyprus and started working for an off-shore company that wanted me to do this thing called “email” and again I faked it!! I had no clue what I was doing but somehow a few days later I was the email expert in the company.
When I decided to study computer science in my late thirties technology was no longer new to me, however, I was just a user and never understood what made it work. But as I began to learn to write code and see how it made things happen, I was both fascinated and frustrated at the same time. Sometimes I’d stay up all night trying to get my code to work to then discover I’d forgotten to put a comma in the right place and of course, computers only work when given clear instructions. One of my assignments was to design a system for the future so I came up with a TV that remembered what we liked, learned a bit about us, and then could suggest programs we might like. But I didn’t actually believe it was possible, just imagine if I did, I’d probably be a billionaire right now!
Even though that idea didn’t go anywhere, something else was born inside me at that time. I began to see how technology was changing how we work, and I loved that maybe one day I wouldn’t have to travel to an office every day. So, I’ve spent the best part of a decade trying to create that sort of life, trying one thing after another. Then COVID happened and suddenly it all just become the norm, with most companies offering hybrid or fully remote work. Today there are people running businesses from a laptop and others using what is called “coworking spaces”.
The working world is truly a different place today and sometimes I want to scream at myself for not really believing in my dream until now. It wasn’t that I lacked vision, motivation, or even dedication, it’s that I lacked real belief.
If you want something but it isn’t happening right now, then following these five steps might be helpful.
5 steps to get what you want:
See it: Before you can get something, you must first see it. As the saying goes, every good idea started with a thought.
Clarity: Once you see what you want, you must get really clear about what it is you want. No if’s, but’s or maybe's.
Why: I spoke about this before. If you don’t know why you want something then you won’t have enough motivation and drive to keep going when things get tough. This was a game changer for me because until I got clear on my why I was going round and round aimlessly.
Details: Contrary to what you might think, you don’t actually need to know how to get what you want. You just need to be clear about what it is you want, why you want it, and then keep your focus on the end goal. A darts player doesn’t over analyse how to hit the bullseye, they just keep their focus on it and then throw the dart. To hit the bullseye, you must keep your focus on it without a flicker of distraction.
Belief: This is the big one.
Whatever you believe becomes your reality.
This might sound a bit new age but trust me it’s both scientific and spiritual. That thing you believe in so much creates your reality.
If you think the world is conspiring against you, guess what, it is! But if you believe that the world, universe, God, or whatever has your back, then it really does.
You decide.
To get what you want, you must dispel all doubt and get to the point of actually knowing it’s on its way to you. Ah, I hear you, Anna’s gone a bit nuts!! Well maybe I have a bit, but I can tell you that as soon as I started to believe, without a doubt that this thing I’ve been dreaming about for a long time is possible, suddenly the strangest thing happened! Oh, you want to know what? Well, that’s a story for another time.
But before you think I’m saying all you need to do is make a wish, let me tell you that without action, nothing will happen.
So I encourage you to believe in your dream, trust it will happen, then get out there and make it happen!
If you need help to get what you want, then check out my coaching packages or book a free chat to start making your dream a reality.