Because I believe that review, reflection and revision are core elements to improvement on all levels of life, the following posting, originally drafted 11.1.2014, has been culled and refined. Enjoy!
| While we prepare coffee and things with kitchen balcony door open to let air come through, my wife and I prefer that Chester (our cat) does not venture out. We live on the twenty-fifth floor. We fear he might fall. As I sipped at my espresso blocking the doorway one morning, it clicked for me. My own cat demonstrates essential traits for success. Then, I started reflecting and writing. Chester is OPPORTUNISTIC. He looks for and notices open doors everyday. He's always aware that the balcony door is open. More importantly, he identifies that today's open door might be one he gets through successfully - the balcony door or any other. |  |
Open your eyes each morning with the mindset that possibilities are abundant, opportunities exist in all forms and that potential needs to be pursued. Walk through your front door and find more doors. When you step through new doors, other doors form. Fact. Do you pursue potential doors? Are you actively looking for new ones?
Chester is PERSISTENT. He never gives up trying to get through doors. He knows very well that we don't want him to go out. The moment we try to redirect him, he turns back as if nothing ever happened. This process repeats many times before Chester decides to (a) take a nap or (b) reflect, revise and move on to Plan B - seek other approaches to open door opportunities. However, there are times that we just close the door.
Take comfort in the fact that planned, goal oriented hard work that challenges your limits and comfort zones will move you forward. When a door is jammed, put some mental muscle into it. Always have a Plan B. Doors can and do close. Have you written down your outcomes? Do you have a plan? Are your steps too challenging or not challenging enough?
Chester is PATIENT. He always takes his time. He never rushes to get through the door. This surprises me. He decides that balcony exploration is his goal and he moves gracefully towards that goal - not too fast and not too slow. Chester always appears to have a predetermined plan for each step along the way.
Take your time, pause and think carefully. Visualize in detail how fantastic it will be to living a life having already achieved your goal. Really feel it. Work hard but work smart. There is no sense trying to jump or run when all you need to do is walk. Plan steps that are attainable, baby steps. Whatever you do, just keep moving forward. Re-visualize and feel it already achieved in great detail. Small actions add up to grand results. Are your steps too big or too small? Are you making daily motions towards your desired outcomes?
Chester is FOCUSED. He knows his goal and keeps it at the front of his mind. He almost never looks back or gets distracted when we try to discourage him. He knows what he wants and all his energy is zoomed-in on that goal with laser beam focus.
The Law of Attraction is idea that I firmly believe in. It's all about the power of your mindset. Check it out. Know what you want and keep it in your head - hone your energy in that direction. The mind is incredibly powerful. If you don't believe in universal energy, you should.
Chester knows SUCCESS IS POSSIBLE. He has been on the balcony before. He's confident he will get there again. We've caught him a few times strolling back in looking proud and satisfied.
Know success is possible. Of course it is. Fact. Look around. All things around us are created by humans no different from you. Don't forget it.
Thankfully, unlike Chester, we open our own doors and walk through them. The first doors each day are those on our bedrooms, bathrooms and the fronts of our homes. Yes, of course, it's important that we get up each morning and walk through doors to perform the daily motions to live - grooming, eating, working etc. However, to just sustain life is not living, it's existing.
I believe that to really live we need to have goals, define our outcomes, visualize them and review them regularly. It is most important to carry the right mindsets to craft our own successes. Remember, knowledge is only potential power. Action is everything.
I believe that to really live we need to have goals, define our outcomes, visualize them and review them regularly. It is most important to carry the right mindsets to craft our own successes. Remember, knowledge is only potential power. Action is everything.
