As the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland inferred, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road’ll take you there”. And this also applies to what you deem as “success” in your life.
When asked “what does success look like to you”, many people base their responses on others, rather than what they actually want themselves. We are so conditioned these days to “try to keep up with the Joneses” that very few of us have actually stopped to really ponder what we really want. And I mean really want, not what we think we should want, or what others consider to outwardly show success.
The cars, houses, family, relationships, money, and so on, are all commendable goals, and many of us strive towards these gladly, but what if you’re ridiculously happy being single? What if €100,000 is more than enough for you to live on and have everything you desire? What if a large house just means more cleaning to you, and more cavernous empty rooms you’ll never use? What if managing a team gives you the heebie-jeebies and you just want to be happy in your current role, just managing yourself? What if success to you is just to be damn happy, all the damn time? These are all totally valid visions of “success”. And being honest with yourself about what you want is the only way to make sure you consciously reach the level of success you desire.
Many of us are so busy climbing the corporate ladder, and aiming for those promotions, pay rises and accolades, that we fail to see that the ladder is actually propped up against the wrong wall. We have been climbing the same ladder for years, with what we think is our “goal” of success in view, but when we reach the top and look around at the view we have spread out before us, we may think: is this what I actually signed up for? Did I really choose this? Given my time again, would I choose this?
And if the answer is “actually, when I think about it, probably not”, well, that’s OK! There are no mistakes in life, just decisions that were made in the past with all the available information you had at the time, that maybe you would now do differently, as you have different information. It’s all good. No regrets on this life’s journey – it’s all opportunity for realisation and growth.
Now back to that very clever cat: The concept of “manifestation” has been given a bit of a woo-woo tinge by some commentators and authors, but its roots are actually firmly based in Neuroscience – what we focus the brain on, we become more aware of, and we can take more conscious action on to achieve. So, if you have no specific goal, there’s nothing that you consciously tell your brain to focus on, so it focuses on its own automatic needs, like making sure the body is functioning or that there are no threats nearby. Having a focus or a goal – ie your own personal vision of success – gives the brain a target, and it will then help you keep an eye out for any actions you need to take that will get you closer to that specific goal.
Use the wonders of Neuroplasticity to get that job, get that raise, and get that joy that you’ve been seeking!
