An important principle of success is staying more focused on the goal than the present obstacles or even the steps to reaching it.

I was reminded of this principle while working toward the completion of all the necessary seasonal responsibilities in my garden. I have quite extensive gardens with a large variety of plants, including over 30 antique rose bushes. Though I have always enjoyed gardening, this time of year’s seasonal requirements get very overwhelming as it takes about 3 months to complete due to other life responsibilities. The care and upkeep is probably too extensive for this time in life, but, when we designed and planted it 15 years ago, it was not possible to foresee the changes in career, family responsibilities, and physical energy in the future. It is a temptation to cause myself continual displeasure by solely viewing all the tasks yet undone rather than staying focused on the forthcoming end result and enjoying the present pleasures my garden during the process of the oiling, fertilizing, pruning, and mulching to reach the goal; it will become a healthy, lush garden that is a delight to the eyes and a joy to share with friends and family.

Here are some results of staying more focused on the end goal than the present obstacles or process:

1. You will maintain a level emotional state of joy and fulfillment, knowing the end of the process will come; you will live the fulfillment of that goal.

2. A clearer focus of your future goals/objectives allows you to be more effective in your present decisions with regard to the future goal.

3. You will maintain a higher energy level when focused daily on the final goal rather than the overall process to achieve it.

Many realms of practical life prove the benefit of staying focused on the goal or end result.

Life coaches, motivational speakers, and business instructors all tell us to “write out” the goals we want to achieve, write out the plan we envision, even the restoration that we need. Writing develops a clear mental picture of the desired end. In turn, this process enables one to notice relevant, beneficial opportunities related to the goal and make wiser decisions to reach the goal all due to staying daily focused on the end picture. It is the Law of Attraction in action.

The benefits of this principle of focusing on the goal flow into more aspects of one’s life than we are usually aware of–personal goals, financial goals, career changes, restoration–but even in the little things. Remember drivers’ education class? When teaching Interstate driving, they instruct you to focus on where the road meets the horizon; if, instead, you only look at the few cars in front of you or a short distance of the open road in front of you, your driving will be unsteady and erratic. You will weave back and forth unknowingly and overcompensate in decisions. It is the same in every aspect of one’s life. Staying focused on the goal will keep you from being unsteady and erratic, wavering from the desired goal, and overcompensating in decisions.

Instruction on one’s spiritual journey also involves a clear, constant focus on the goals.

This principle should be added to your daily spiritual life. Do not settle for where you are. There are greater, unknown aspects waiting to be discovered with your spiritual life and communication levels with God. Grow and benefit by setting goals and keeping them in focus. Here are quotes from Scripture instructing you to approach spiritual life and growth like a runner in a race, free from distractions and hindrances, focused on the clear goal:

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. Phil 3:13-15

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training…Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly…so that I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Cor. 9:24-27

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Heb. 12:1

Famous literary authors have encouraged people through generations to “focus on the goal.”

Though Ralph Waldo Emerson is well-known for his quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination,” encouraging people to enjoy each day of life as opposed to only allowing oneself to enjoy achievements, he also promoted keeping one’s destination in view.

To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Orison Swett Marden, known for his philosophies on one’s thoughts influencing his life and circumstances, pointed out the determining factor in the success of focusing on the goal:

We advance on our journey only when we face our goal, when we are confident and believe we are going to win out.  Orison Swett Marden

Believe that you will reach your goals, spiritually, financially, relationally, or otherwise. Then keep daily focus on those goals. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the trip or any apparent lack of progress, you can live effectively and experience greater joy knowing that each day is a day closer to your heart’s desires.

Most people fear change; it is more advantageous to fear the lack of it.

Each of us have areas of our lives in which we need desperately change as well as those in which we greatly desire to see change. It may be in our personal relationships, career, health, spiritual life, or even projected retirement investments. Too often our frustration goes on for years due to one of the main points in the March 2, 2009 post on Reaching Success, “You have to follow through with a plan.”

Wishful thinking, as opposed to vision casting, will only lead to continued disappointment.

To put an end to the disappointment of a lack of change, one must first vision cast (Create a mental image of the changes you want as well as put them in print.) and then act. Wishful thinking will not accomplish anything. Be aware of how dangerous to your fulfilled life are thoughts such as:

I’ll work in this goal when I have more money.
I’ll make these changes when I have more time.
I’ll focus on this need when I have fewer distractions.
I’ll start exercising or eating right next week.

Though none of us would consider ourselves insane, it is beneficial to remember Eistein’s Definition of Insanity, “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

To do what you have always done each day, the same life patterns, the same activities, the same thoughts, only allow for wishful thinking which leads to continued disappointment. The power to your fulfilled life, the power for reaching your dreams and goals, the power to seeing the various needs met in your life originates from Change!

If you fear change, work on re-creating a true perspective that change is positive. Every living thing changes! If there is not any change, there is either stagnation or death! You must make a decision to start acting now. No more procrastinating for whatever reasons you have been using.

We each want to “live life” to the fullest, and “life” involves change. Change is good! The power to “live life” to its fullest starts with Change.

There is an innate desire in each person’s heart to succeed; the key is visualizing the plan.

Often we are hindered from successfully reaching our goals because we never bother to visualize those goals, brainstorm as to how to achieve them, and then actually follow through with the plan. We must visualize, but we must then also act!

Fellow blogger, Susan Hanshaw of Sanctuary for Change shared her comments from a lecture and book by Marc Allen, Author of “The Greatest Secret of All.” Susan summarizes the key points for reaching success:

Twenty four pages into the book, I’ve now come to my own understanding of this great secret. You’ve got to follow the process to make it work for you. Here are some valuable tips from the book for starters:

1. Write your ideal scene on paper, your dream life five years in the future.
2. Recognize that within that scene lies several goals. Write those down.
3. Create a one-page plan for achieving each of your goals.
4. Write your goals as affirmations stated in the present tense.

You may be looking at these four tips, saying to yourself, “I knew that”. You’re right; there’s nothing new here. What is new is up to you. This time, look at this exercise as being as important as your life. It is your life. It’s yours to do what you want with it. Now what will that be?

Please Click Here to Complete Reading Susan’s Full Post on “The Greatest Secret to Manifestation”

Please Click Here to go to Susan’s Blog.

States of mind or life perspectives are developed in one’s childhood environment and passed down from generation to generation.

I came across a great article on overcoming a poverty mindset by fellow SelfGrowth.com author and business professional, Melissa Zollo. The points in this post are excerpts from a lengthy article. She is a secular author (not religious) but makes many valid points. Please use the link here or below to read Melissa’s full article.

A poverty state of mind will cause you to see, hear, think, feel, and act in alignment with lack.

The Law of Attraction states that your thoughts and feelings create a force field of energy that radiates out from you and draws back into your life people, things, and situations in tune with them. In other words, you become what you believe and feel to be true.

8 Choices You Can Make Today that Will Change Your Habits and Influence Your Life:

Since the direction of our lives is primarily determined by the choices we make each and every day, I am offering you a selection of choices you can make — choices that will assist you in walking the road … the fulfillment of your dreams.

1. Choose a new mental diet. One of the most powerful activities you will ever participate in is uplifting self-talk. Instead of talking about what you are afraid of or worried about, decide to consciously choose words that are consistent with your financial goals.

2. Choose to activate your imagination. [Imagination] assists you to reimage/refocus/rebuild/rethink/ receive!

3. Choose to focus on your dreams and empower yourself. This sounds simple but many people only wish to experience wealth and success. They rarely choose to change their money habits.

4. Choose to plant seeds of hope, happiness, and harmony. You can opt to treat yourself as a valued, accepted, appreciated person. Decide to plant seeds of high self-esteem no matter how others have treated you in the past or try to mistreat you now.

5. Choose to break one financial bad habit. Decide to tackle your debt, spending habits, or something associated with money and give yourself the right to succeed.

6. Choose to become balanced spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially. Our lives work best when we feel balanced. Invest quality time re-training…

7. Choose to make time for fun and self-renewal.

8. Choose to spend quality time with those important people in your life. Heal those relationships that need mending — be they with your parents, siblings, significant other, beloved spouse, friends, or children. Choose to forgive and watch your energy, self-motivation, and enthusiasm soar.

The most powerful antidote to self-doubt is self-confidence.

Successful people have high levels of self-confidence. They have an attitude that they are unstoppable and will achieve their goals…Remind yourself daily that externals showing up in your life are effects; they are not causes. Decide to change your thought-seeds (causes) and you will change your harvest (effects).

Excerpts are from Are You a Prisoner of Poverty or a Producer of Wealth? by Melissa Zollo, imagination and self motivation author

Lessen stress during the holidays with a few practical decisions.

Many people are overwhelmed by all the extra time and work that are invested into family traditions and added special events this time of year. An article by Elaine Ambrose provided a collection of good advice to show that a few wise decisions will lessen your stress.

Delegate - Choose which chores or errands you need to do and which ones family members can handle. If necessary, make a simple calendar and mark which days tasks need to be done, such as vacuuming, pet care, or folding laundry, and which family member chose it.

Make Meals Easier - Occasionally during this month get something from the freezer section for the main dish and add healthy items to it. Also, when you do cook, double the recipe and freeze the other meal to use over the next couple weeks.

Budget Your Money - Overspending is a main holiday stressor. Decide on your budget for family traditions and activities and stick to it. Some families draw names and decide a set a dollar amount for the gifts. This also makes it easier time-wise as each person only has to shop for 1 gift and already knows the exact price they should spend.

Budget Your Time - This is just as difficult of a decision to make for most people as budgeting. However, you can help your time by doing something different with gifts. Give a donation to a charity in the person’s name or give a certificate for lunch or a movie or car wash, etc. This eliminates shopping time. You will also save time, stress, and the frustration of long lines by shopping mid-week or early in the morning this month. With regard to parties, admit that it probably is not wise to accept every invitation. Choose the ones you enjoy the most and graciously decline the rest.

When Guest Drop By - When you receive a call that someone is dropping by in the next half hour, this is the time for speed cleaning. Gather the family to pick up anything that looks cluttered in the main areas the guest will see, such as the entry hall, living room, dining room, kitchen, and bath. Set a timer and have everyone work as fast as they can to get done in the next 15 minutes.

When You are the Hostess - You can make some decisions to lessen stress even when you are the hostess, such as hiring someone to clean before or after the party, having part of the meal catered (even if it is from the local store’s deli/bakery), or delegate to guests. Most guest love to bring along 1 supplementary item as a gift of appreciation, such as a dessert or appetizer or beverages. Just be specific in your request, so that the guests do not all bring the same type of item.

Do Not Neglect Your Health Habits - The holiday season with its extra work and events is not the to let your health slide, though, for most of us, these are the first things we cut out of the schedule to make time. Keep up with your vitamins, take that walk or other workouts, do some relaxation, whatever you would normally do to keep your immune systems strong. Take some time for personal pampering, such as a bath with essential oils. Before going to parties, have a glass of milk or some fruit to limit binge eating. Take that time with your loved ones to watch your favorite holiday movie.

Plan Ahead - Decide at the beginning of the month what main family traditions you want to accomplish and when. Recruit help as necessary. This will eliminate the disappointment of not taking time for what is most important to you.

Excerpts of ideas from Greenwise, Dec 2005, Elaine Ambrose.

Table of contents for Speaking Health and Restoration into Existence

1. Speaking Health and Restoration into Existence
2. Visualize & Speak Health and Restoration into Existence

Some simple daily exercises for health and restoration are beneficial in the realization of your goals.

After talking with a loved one who was going through a breakdown of the family structure, finances, and emotional state, I began to visualize seeing him as he desires his life to be–happy, healthy, trim, and successful. When one’s dreams for his or her life have come crashing down around them, it is rather difficult, and seemingly absurd to visualize one’s self and life in a state of near perfection. However, in recent years I have been studying people in both the secular world and religious world who have used the principle of faith to bring restoration after every aspect of their lives had been completely destroyed, and all of them say, “You must see where you want to be in your mind; you must visualize it for it to come to pass.” As a main key to being successful is learning how others achieved it, the concepts of visualizing and speaking restoration into existence should be taken hold of by anyone in need of life restoration.

Let’s look at two daily exercises to evoke health and life restoration.

1. The first exercise was something that came out of the discussion with the loved one in crisis. At his job, each of the staff, in their own office area, had put up a collage of pictures about his or her childhood. My loved one had found some comfort by looking at the childhood pictures, remembering life being happy and healthy back then. I realized that this would be an effective way to help visualize restoration in the midst of collapsed, seemingly hopeless circumstances. For this exercise, find several pictures if possible, and put them where you must look at them more than once a day. Look at those pictures so that you can focus on happiness and health as a reality for you; it was–you have been there. Once your mind and emotions are able to re-grasp some of those thoughts and feelings that you experienced of health and happiness, then use those pictures to then visualize yourself now being happy and healthy. Visualize yourself, as an individual, being happy and healthy first. Then, if you have a family you are living with now, proceed to also visualize your entire family you live with now being happy and healthy–physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

2. The second exercise is related to what we discussed in the recent post of Healing Words. I want you to speak out loud, “I am happy and healthy. My family is happy and healthy. I have restoration physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually.” Yes, it will most likely be difficult to say because it isn’t visual reality now, but “hope that is seen is not hope at all.” Remember, speaking words of healing and restoration have been scientifically proven to be necessary, as well as been proven by the countless thousands whose lives have come back from a state of devastation to restoration. You can read Yomi Akinpelu’s quote about your words affect on the nerves of your entire body in this post, Healing Words Part 1.

I trust these 2 simple daily restoration exercises will bless your life and provide forward momentum in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances. Feel free to use the link at the beginning of the article or this one here to go back and read the related post, “Speaking Health and Restoration into Existence.”

In most realms of religion, there seems to be a prevalent concept that poverty makes a person more pious.

The added deduction from this concept is that God sends poverty on His people to teach them or purify them. There are several possible reasons for the development of this line of thought. First, difficulty does often cause a person to reach out to God, to someone greater than himself, resulting in character growth. Hence, people assume God sent it. Scripture actually says that God works to bring good out of evil done to us (Gen. 50:20; Deut. 23:5; Rom. 8:28). A second possible reason for the development of this poverty concept is the misquoting of the Scripture about money. Scripture actually says that the “love” of money leads to all kinds of evil, not wealth itself.

God expresses that poverty is destructive to people, a trait contrary to God’s nature.

Though more examples could be given, these two make it clear that poverty is not a type of “learning tool” sent by God. God says,

• Poverty is the ruin of the poor (NIV). [Another translation-] The destruction of the poor is their poverty (NKJV Pr. 10:15).
• [The context of this quote is speaking about laziness...] and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man making you helpless (AMP).

In contrast to the idea of poverty being from God, the traits of ruin, destruction, and other harm are listed in Scripture as having their origin in satan. Pay particular attention to Jesus’ description of the contrasting life God gives.

• The thief [referring to the devil] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus speaking] have come that you may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance till it overflows (AMP Jn. 10:10).
• Be vigilant and cautious at all times, for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion in fierce hunger, seeking someone to seize upon and devour (AMP 1 Pet. 5:8).

God’s description of His love and concern for your life is in complete opposition to the concept of bringing poverty with its destruction, ruin, and helplessness into your life.

In addition to the above quote in which Jesus says that His purpose in coming to earth and bringing our spiritual restoration was to enable us to live and enjoy an overflowing life –something poverty does not bring– look carefully at this quote from 1 Pet. 5:7. Since financial troubles are the cause of much anxiety, not only among the poor, but among those of varying economic status, financial trouble even still being the main cause of divorce in the U.S., it is important to mention that God’s statement in 5:7 to bring your anxieties to Him out of His deep love, concern, and care for you immediately precedes in Scripture the verse quoted earlier in this post about the devil trying to destroy us.

• Cast the whole of your care-all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concern, once and for all-on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and watchfully (1 Pet. 5:7).

Let me reiterate for clarity. In 1 Pet. 5:7, God explains His deep care for your life and encourages you to come to Him with all your anxieties and concerns. In 5:8, the very next verse, He warns you against the works of satan or the devil to destroy your life. If God said that poverty is destructive (Prov. 10:15), and that the devil brings the harmful events which can destroy you (1 Pet. 5:8, Jn. 10:10), we cannot honestly continue to attribute poverty to God. It also would be absurd for God to tell you to come to Him with all the cares of your life because He is watchfully caring for you if He was, at the same time, the cause of all your grief!

A portrait of lives that are blessed in the physical realm as well as in the spiritual is what God describes for those who seek Him.

In one of the main passages describing God’s covenant with His people, He says that those who “fully obey” Him will be blessed in city, in the country, coming in, going out, in their families, investments, businesses, and everything they put their hands to (Deut. 28:1-13). God intends for every facet of life to be in a state of blessing for the person who diligently lives for Him. The Hebrew term for “fully obey” is not quite translated well. It is actually the word, shama`, twice in the oiginal language. Shama` means “to hear intelligently for attentive obedience (1).” If I were to oversimplify this quote, it is as if God is saying, “For those of you who “really listen to me for the purpose of obeying (shama`), and I mean, actually follow through with my teachings (shama`), all these blessings will flood your life.”

Some people may say that covenant of God only applied to the Jews living at that time in history under Mosaic law, but in 2 Cor. 1:20, it says to us, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” God’s promises do not expire. They are still “Yes” for you! When a person attentively listens to God and lives accordingly, his life can be under the protection of God from the destroying work of satan. Rom. 8:2 says that the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death; all the harmful elements of life brought about by the evil in this world, God desires to free us from. Similarly, in Gal. 3:13, it says that Christ Jesus redeemed us from the curse through His work of salvation.

When you are faced with poverty or any other destructive force, go to God with your anxieties because He does watchfully and affectionately care for you! The more you live under His guidance, the more areas of your life will be freed from the effects of evil in this world and begin to respond to God’s promise of blessing. Don’t allow a false concept of God being the source of destruction in your life to keep you from the One who honestly desires you to live and enjoy life in a level of overflowing abundance.

(1) Hebrew definition from Strong’s Dictionary of Old Testament Words.

In my recent post called, “Break Out of the Rut,” we discussed how rarely we implement the great ideas or input that we come across and how to break out of the rut of life and make real progress. I came across a great article by Caroline Jalango on how to make room for all the positive changes we want to achieve by identifying and removing what hinders constructive changes.

Here is an excerpt from Caroline’s article along with a link to the full post on her website.

“You want to be loved, to be at peace, have wonderful relationships, look and feel good, find a better job, be respected and recognized for your work, make more money, grow your business, advance your career and so forth — but have you ‘emptied out’ the unproductive aspects in your life to make room for your new desires?

If you haven’t, what’s currently taking up the much needed space in your life? Emotional clutter, baggage, tolerations, hang-ups, fixed perspectives, belief systems, attitudes, excuses, fears, or debilitating habits can occupy a large part of your life and prevent you from pursuing or receiving anything new — even if you wanted to!

Even when you somehow manage to achieve your desire, you might still grapple with thoughts about how to ’squeeze this new thing’ into your already ‘overcrowded life’ and how to make everything else work smoothly at the same time. If you fail to effectively manage your ‘overcrowded life,’ you become stressed and may involuntarily sabotage the very thing you’ve worked to achieve….”

Click here to read Caroline Jalango’s full article entitled, “What’s Taking Up the Much Needed Room in Your Life?”

My Blog Referenced: Break Out of the Rut

Table of contents for Break Out of the Rut

1. Break Out of the Rut
2. Break Out of the Rut Part 2

Reading Level: Leisurely

On a scale of 1 to 10, implementing being 10, how often do you act on new, valuable knowledge that you hear compared to the number of times you let that knowledge merely slip away?

We all come across good input from time to time of things that would greatly improve our lives, quality input on one’s finances, relationships, or physical-emotional-spiritual health. Usually, we feel great excitement at the thought of the possible benefits from that new knowledge yet, all too often, the knowledge that comes our way is allowed to slip away because it is easier for life to stay in a rut.

Just as it is always easier to swim with the current than against it, just as it is definitely easier to go downhill than to a higher plain, it is undeniably easier to stay in a rut than drive over the bumps in the road to get out of the path you’ve been in. We can even be good listeners, eager learners, and have willing spirits with a desire to succeed, but all the right attitudes will still not cause one’s life to prosper if all we ever do is listen, and we never act on that knowledge. Acting on what you hear; it sounds easy enough but, again, it is easier to stay in the rut than to break out of it and make changes. Life may get a little “bumpy” and out of sorts when you put out the effort to implement change, but the benefits are still worth it.

God cautions us as to the decrease in our quality of life from listening to instruction but not implementing it. Better yet, He explains to us how to break out of that rut.

He is speaking here about His own words, but the point is valid for all beneficial instruction we come across, whether in the Scriptures or in lectures, books, or blogs by successful people. “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. The man who looks intently into the Perfect Law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it– he will be blessed in what he does (Jms. 1:22,25).”

The action God describes here is fitting for putting into action financial, relational, and health knowledge as well as spiritual. Look intently at the new knowledge and continue to do this so that you will not forget it.

“Intently” means attentively and absorbingly, thoroughly focused on implementing the knowledge. Recall for a moment some of the good input you’ve heard that you have never acted upon–whether it be good financial advice, relationship counsel, physical health instruction, or spiritual wisdom. Realize how much you do deceive yourself when you get excited about new knowledge that can change your life but do not discipline yourself enough to act upon it. Benefit will not come without action. All the Scriptural knowledge, self-help books, financial or relational advice, physical/emotional health instructions, even your willing attitudes are not enough to benefit you without the step of intently focusing on implementing valuable knowledge. Follow God’s direction in the above quote; continue to intently focus on the new knowledge so it is not forgotten and follow through with implementing it. Then, and only then, will your life be blessed as you desire for it to be.

Break out of the rut! Implement what you’ve learned and bring healing to your life!