Creating Opportunities for Accomplishments

The cairn stone at the peak of Mount Millicent, yes, the top stone is mine….

I had to climb that mountain first in order to get the reward.

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 “My mind could have grasped and held on to the fear of all that – but I chose to live in the moment and take the opportunity that was in front of me.” 

In preparing our lives and businesses for accomplishments, it is necessary to set up good habits that support the lifestyle that we want.  If you want to run a marathon, you have to create a habit of running, training and working out, right?  If you want a corporate-free life, you must prepare yourself financially, create a “net”work, hone a skill that can be monetized, and get clients.  Creating the vision for your life is not always easy, and it can be riddled with fragments of doubt and uncertainty.

Lately I have been working hard on new business products, marketing and promotions, preparing to move, moving, and moving again!  All the logistics that go with that, plus running my business, requires a laser focus and systems that support my life, but even then, it can be easy to lose focus.  When that happens, I must pull myself back and center down on the things that are most important to my life. Empty the cluttered mind and fill it with the present moment.

In thinking about these things, the photo I have featured this week is such an inspiration to me. It represents something I did that I never would have expected that I could have done. It was an accomplishment. Placing that stone on the peak of Mt Millicent was hard but rewarding and something that will motivate me for a long, long time. On that climb, I was able to see how letting go of fear and learning to trust myself did more for moving me along in my journey than anything else I know, outside of walking in love.

Creating a life without boundaries takes courage and awareness, and since I tend to live my life by the seat of my pants, learning to make good decisions and navigating through them is key. I discovered a long time ago that being fully “awake” and deciding WHAT I want is the first step to getting it!  Interestingly, I was thinking about this just today, how I am right where I am because of decisions that I made 2 and 3 years ago for my business and my personal life. I creatively set things in motion at that time through WORDS, ACTIONS, and FOCUS, and now I am living that life supported by the successful habits and systems I put into place.

However, there is something that can trip us all up and keep us from living our lives to the fullest, steal our joy, take our focus, and hinder our climbing…

FEAR…  you have to let it go!  

Fear is the damnedest thing. It will rise up within us to protect us, that is what it’s built for, but then for some reason we like holding on to it.  FEAR is the first thing you have to let go. It is the most debilitating emotion that we have. It stops us in our tracks, it takes away our motivation, keeps us complacent, makes us sad, clouds our mind from realizing our dreams, prevents us from loving, and certainly scares us away from taking risks.  So, let go of fear and let go of the idea that you can fail. Let go of the idea that you are not up for it, or not prepared, and just do it!  (Nike came up with that great slogan!)

When I climbed Mount Millicent with my son and daughter in law, first I had no idea  what we were going to do.  Joshua is the climber in this family, not me.  However, here is how I found myself prepared: I had been hiking, I was in good shape, and I had the right shoes, the right gear, and the right clothes… and most importantly, I had the right leader.  All of those things were ingredients that made the way for success.  I submitted to Joshua’s leadership on that hike, he had climbed that mountain many times, so he could inform me on what to expect.  He could guide me on technique, and how to manage the problems that we would encounter.  He prepared me mentally.

At first, I was afraid.  

When I looked at that mountain I said, “there is no way, I can’t climb that”, especially when he explained to me that we were going to “scramble” up the side of that mountain, which was quite vertical.  (Scrambling in hiking terms is climbing or scrambling up and over rocks without a trail.)  My mind could have grasped and held on to the fear of all that – that I couldn’t make it, that I could fall and get injured, the fear that is was just too damn hard for me, but I didn’t!  I chose not to focus on it, to live in the moment and take the opportunity that was in front of me, muster up the courage and GO. That’s a positive habit right there!

“We can either fold when we are confronted with a difficult task, or we can scramble right over it.  It’s our choice. The more you get in the habit of doing that, the stronger you become when faced with a challenge.”

So there you go! Creating habits that support the life we want.  Preparing ourselves for the task and staying prepared. Keeping a focused mind on the beautifully emerging present moment. All these things bring about opportunities to accomplish greater heights and pursue our dreams.  How are you preparing the way for accomplishments in your life and business?

Love and Peace,