Ten Steps to Future Wellbeing, Now!When you know where you want to go, you usually get there. This statement is at the heart of successful wellbeing and that is why we recommend that you get your vision right before thinking about taking any steps. You need to know where you are going first. Before we start we may also need to do some research. We may not know enough to make all the decisions necessary. So what are the other key steps we need to do to achieve the future we want?
By Dr Angus McLeod
- Vision of future
- Having a real experience of what it is like to have that future now
- Expanding option (choices) about how to get there
- Researching weak points and overcoming obstacles
- Focussing on one path
- Getting resources together (money, knowledge, skills, support networks)
- Breaking down the path into smaller goals
- Checking that the smaller goals are realistic, in my control, time-bounded
- Tell key people if appropriate (making it real for us and them)
- Making that first step
One: Be clear about what you want and be clear about what you don’t want. What we want and don’t want are both motivating – harness both to be more successful.
Two: Know what the future will be like. Experience it like a virtual reality in this moment in every sensing way that you can. Make it so real, so compelling, and so wonderful that it is irresistible!
Three: Expand your choices. Self-challenge to explore other ways of achieving your goals. Get a wellbeing life-coach to help you or ask a friend to challenge the way you think.
Four: Track down the weak points in your plan and overcome them. Have you been too bold? Are you fully in control at all stages? Who could help you?
Five: While you still have options about the path you are less likely to get there than if you focus on one realistic path now. It’s a fact. A set process gets results.
Six: Resource yourself for the journey. You don’t go up a mountain without boots, rain gear and a Mars Bar. Get skilled-up, learn, boost your self-confidence, test and prove to yourself that you can and will achieve. Tie up with people with similar goals and outlook and those with the skills you aspire to.
Seven: Take the vision and break down the path to get there into defined mini-goals or steps. Make changing the plan an ‘okay thing to do’. Be prepared to reevaluate and make each re-evaluation part of your plan.
Eight: Set a realistic time-frame for each mini-goal.
Nine: Telling key supporters makes your own plan real and will give you further motivation to begin.
Ten: Now is the time to start. And truly you already did. You have prepared, you have taken the ten steps in readiness. Now is your time.
Now you have a process and only one basic instinct can prevent you from success. And that is fear. Fear of change, fear of success, fear of what others will think of you, fear of the unknown. Well, there is still a choice. Stay where you are or face the fear and do it anyway. And if you are not living the life you want now, putting life off will not get any better. You could wait until you are unhappy but then you will be less resourceful, less energetic and more likely to fail. So instead, be conscious, be brave and make that journey before it is too late. Now is your time.