Is Your Life in the Default Mode?
In this message, my objective is to answer 2 questions that will ultimately affect the quality of your life and demonstrate what you can achieve by creating your Ideal LifeVision.
1. What does it mean to be living your Ideal Life?
2. And once you knew what it meant, how would you go about doing it?
Let’s start with defining “Ideal Life”. But whose Ideal Life am I going to define? Mine or yours?
My point is obvious….the “details” of one’s Ideal Life are very personal and unique to the individual. We each have our own set of values & priorities that no one else can interpret for us! And yet how many of us actually put the time and energy into “Clarifying our Ideal Life”? I’ve heard statistics that less than 3% of the population actually puts effort into some sort of goal-setting or life-defining process. Most people just live their life by DEFAULT!
Don’t fall into that category or statistic. Here’s a few guideposts to consider to determine if you’re living in Default or Definition:
You are pushing your intellectual abilities using multiple means: You’re reading great books, listening to stimulating messages, and/or engaging in challenging conversations. You’re expanding your mind and brain by giving it daily doses of exciting new information that you process, implement & then share. And you have a detailed plan for carrying out this process!
You are expanding your physical energy through proper nutrition & exercise. But in addition, you challenge your physical limits by improving your ability to perform in activities you love! Your physical fitness regiment is consistent and detailed. Nothing is left to chance because you have your plan!
You are spending time strengthening & enhancing your relationships with your partner/lover, children, siblings, parents & friends. Your relationships are all “ideal” because you are developing, deepening and balancing them as part of your “richer” life. Every deposit you make into your family’s emotional bank account is a deposit into your emotional prosperity. You know in detail what you can do to enhance your primary relationships, thus enhancing your own.
Your career is thriving because you focus on value creation and know that it truly is the gateway to financial prosperity. Your mindset is centered on how you can be of greater service to your customers and this in turn puts money into your pocket. Your action plan is concrete & specific. You know down to the last dotted “i” the steps needed to be taken.
Spiritually you are defined! Faith is your spiritual capital. You practice forgiveness, gratitude and charity. You know your unique spiritual gifts and strong character traits. Your deep spiritual life is your core and the foundation for all the other aspects of your life. Your “beingness” is something you are very aware of and focus on.
Moving from Default to Ideal Life lies in: 1) The definition and 2) The implementation. Defining your Ideal Life through vision statements are critical to Manifesting your Ideal Life!
What are you waiting for? You can begin the process living your Ideal Life by improving your definition and your implementation system. I personally invite you to say “YES, I’m ready to make the change” by enrolling in the Ideal LifeVision community. If you haven’t created your own personal LifeVision that’s the place to start. (Go here immediately for next workshop) Next become involved by participating on the Fan/Business page on Facebook, in discussions on blog etc. Also take YOUR VISION to the next level by networking and masterminding with others via the Fan/Business page on Facebook, in discussion on blogs, attending theRe-Vision Masterminds (for alumni Life-Visioners) & finally by implementing other resources.
Act NOW! If the thought of living a richer and more fulfilling live appeals to you, then make the decision to change your life NOW!
This is a great article. It really defines why we need to “Just do it”. This is what truly separates those who “do” from those who simply talk about it!
Hi Scott. Thanks for commenting! And you are a great example of someone that just does it!
Since I wrote my last comment I have thought alot about this topic and I want to return to it. I would like to make a comment on each of the two questions you ask at the beginning. In question number one you ask “What does it mean to “be” living your Ideal Life?” And in number two you ask “And once you knew what it meant, how would you go about “doing” it?” I would like to comment on the difference between “doing” and “being”.
There is a difference between doing and being. You can never “do” enough. But you can be enough. There is no way that we can “do” all the things that life requires of us; there simply aren’t enough hours in a day. Let me use an illustration by the author Denver Snuffer to show this principle.
When you ski down a frozen mountain, you cannot be thinking of other responsibilities or taking your eye off the terrain. You must be consumed with the “now” and not looking or thinking of elsewhere. If you take your mind off the task for even an instant, you may catch an edge on your ski and go down.
No one starts out a great skier. They develop by degree from novice to expert. You must first learn the rules and techniques of skiing. However, when you finally become an accomplished skier you cannot ski aggressively while thinking of the rules of skiing. You must apply them with speed and accuracy to accomplish the activity. You must “feel” the activity. You still follow the rules, but you “do” them subconsciously. At some point the experienced skier looks at his skis as an extension of his body. Until this point however, you must do the activity while keeping the fundamental rules in mind. You “do” in order to “become”. But once you have become, you then do it because that is who you are.
Examples of this principle could be drawn from all parts of our lives: From learning to play a musical instrument, to being a better cook, to being a better parent or a more loving spouse. This to me is the beauty and the power of Life Vision. It helps remind us of the things we need to “do” until we “become” the person we want to be. My experience show that if you want to be someone different and more complete than you have been in the past, then creating an Ideal Life Vision will help you accomplish this.
Living life by default – this reminds me of something I read from Earl Nightingale.
“The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice … it is conformity. And there you have the reason for so many failures. Conformity — people acting like everyone else, without knowing why or where they are going.
We learn to read by the time we’re seven. We learn to make a living by the time we’re 30. Often by that time we’re not only making a living, we’re supporting a family. And yet by the time we’re 65, we haven’t learned how to become financially independent in the richest land that has ever been known. Why? We conform! Most of us are acting like the wrong percentage group — the 95 who don’t succeed.”
That’s living by default – conforming. Going with the flow. Fitting in. Being part of the crowd.
To be truly successful in life – you need to dare to be different.
Great article Annie.
Exactly…..just taking life day by day and waiting to see what happens it what keeps us stuck in mediocrity. Design your life, make a plan and step it up by truly LIVING YOUR STORY!
Thanks for the comment Chuck!
Hi Ann,
I really enjoyed reading this post. You nail it in the head about one’s Default Mode vs. Ideal Life. I think one factor that hinders a person from achieving his ideal life is fear of the unknown. We have so much fear about what the future might bring that it stops us from exploring what life has to offer.
Hi Jen. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I 100% agree that fear is a huge part of what stops us from moving forward.
Another reason why I’m a HUGE advocate of LifeVision. My fear of public speaking was legendary. I would almost pass out from FEAR! (and that’s just one of the obvious things…fear also kept me from pursuing an office, from a few relationships etc) But by detailing WHY I wanted & needed to be a public speaker in my LifeVision….things started changing. In my recording I told myself that “With ease, I can stand up in front of a large group of people and express myself. It feels great being an effective communicator.” Within a year, I was able to speak in front of groups and within a few years LARGE groups. LifeVision has subdued my FEAR drastically!
Thanks again for your comment. Glad you’re a goal setter!