The Seven Steps to Abundance - Get Articles by Craig Lock |  |
> Get Articles > Motivation > The Seven Steps to Abundance The Seven Steps to Abundance Download as PDFCraig Lock clockxtra.co.nz New Zealand Enterprise.com http://www.nzenterprise.com We hope that the following article may be informative and helpful (and hopefully even "inspirational") to your e-zine readers, or on your web site. This extract is from Craig Lock's Mad Money Book. You have permission to publish this article (formatted to 60 characters, approx) electronically or in print. If you'd like to check out Craig's other articles (money management, internet marketing, self help and writing) drop by at: http://www.bridgeniche.com/ebooks/Ebooks.htm Please feel free to publish them in your ezine or web site. "We share what we know, so that you and your money may grow". THE SEVEN STEPS TO ABUNDANCE by Craig Lock Here are my thoughts and steps on how to to "design a life"...instead of been blown about by the winds of life (like a paper bag), or the currents, like a jelly-fish. Enough similes. 1. Find the VISION, the plan for your life. Unless you know where you're going, you are unlikely to get there. Any place where you are is a good place to start. Ask yourself: What activities have you most enjoyed in the last 10 years? What is fun? What do you treasure? What do you most want to be doing in the next 10 years? I'd love to write, help, encourage and hopefully even inspire others. 2. Which of your strengths and weaknesses are a joy to you? What do people say you are good at? What is special about you? List ideally what would you be doing? Living at the beach, writing and travelling...and be financially secure, of course! Ideally what would you want to be? When I started out writing seven years ago, a successful author was my original goal. Now I want to be a "great" writer, whose words make a difference in the world by encouraging and hopefully even "inspiring" people around the globe. What motivates you? What "drives" you? What is your "hot button"? Ask WHY do you need those things? What are those status symbols for? Define your vision. Write it down in less than 10 words. It took me most of my life to discover what I believee Does it involve other people? What do I most want to be doing? Why? What do I most care about? Why? What steps can I take to move me closer to doing what I really want to do with my life? Find your niche - your unique skills and natural gifts? Think about WHO will pay you to enjoy yourself. Instead of worrying about being sacked, think who will pay you to have fun? How can you best use your gifts and talents? Where do you want to work? With whom, in what sort of company? Look for a picture of your ideal environment: home, as well as work. 3. PLAN ahead carefully. Doing this reduces false starts and wrong directions. Most people spend more time planning their annual holiday than they do their "blueprint for life". Put it all down in writing. Doing that focusses your mind, your consciousness. My advice: "Think big, but start small". The prominent American psychologist, Carl Rogers said: "The only real security is the preparedness to embrace insecurity". Be the YOU you most intend to be? Take stock, review your plan and prioritize your life goals. 4. Make the COMMITMENT. Stop saying you're going to do it and actually DO IT. Put in the work and write out the cheques. This involves going past the point of no return. Make commitments: to yourself, to your loved ones in terms of time, energy and money. Then stick to it and take full responsibility for the outcome. 5. Spell out the details of the PLAN. Think it all through and concentrate hard. What are you going to do? How are you going to do it, step by step? What needs to be done and in what order of priority? What resources do you have at your disposal? What are your expenditure needs? Reaffirm your commitment through a personal budget. Be flexible in your thinking, as circumstances usually change... and we can't foresee the future. And most importantly, THINK BIG. 6. Develop a network of people to help you achieve your goals (and you can help them achieve their goals at the same time). First, you must be aware of them. It's a "win-win" situation. Be enthusiastic at all times, because enthusiasm is catching. 7. Take ACTION, that first step...then the next will follow naturally ...and far more easily. Nothing can stop you now. "Roll up the sleeves" and get down to work. I believe the first prerequisite for success is loving what you do. I love writing, although it's very lonely (and probably the world's most solitary occupation). Always remember, life is not a 100 metres sprint - it's a marathon. So rest when you feel you need to and don't feel guilty about it (something I have to learn!). Have fun along the journey. Perservere and persist in your quest. Take responsibility for your own abundance and your learning throughout the 'game of life'. Appreciate your abundance and prosperity daily by giving thanks to God, the Universe for what you do have. Live with "an attitude of gratitude", instead of focussing on what you lack.. Have faith in yourself - believe deeply in yourself, but even more deeply in God, Life, The Universe, Supreme Being, Our Creator, The Ultimate Source, a Power far Greater than yourself, Infinite Intelligence*... who loves you and wants what's best for you. The spiritual journey may take far longer than you thought, so be patient. * Enough concepts or "names" for the Divine (I prefer the simple word or metaphor, God to cover the spiritual aspect of our being and our Connection to the Divine). NB: Always remember, The measure of success is not money, but learning and growth - just trying to be the best person you can possibly be each and every day. Measure success in learning and growth - nothing else is important. Work is a place each of us creates in order to grow. It is the laboratory for experimenting with our potential 10. When working for yourself, this is a time of unprecedented change in your life. Work allows you to put into place skills and knowledge acquired through education. It is a time to experiment with our potential and the various demands made upon us. Initially we learn to work in teams, working towards a common objective. Then gradually in our working careers we learn to take on more and more responsibility. Believe you deserve to be abundant - though not more than others. It's a matter of finding a balance between your ambitions and your responsibilities. Be accountable and socially responsible, by thinking of other people. You can't force people to change. Listen to your intuition, truth and love. That is the "voice" of God, The Divine, Higher Power, the Higher Self, Spirit, the Ultimate Source speaking to you... whilst prayer, I believe is the way we communicate with God. We are all spiritual beings living in the physical world. Each one of us human beings has the SPARK of God within us. So wherever you are on this planet, what better time to start on your spiritual journey to fulfilling your unique potential and great abundance... than NOW? Craig Lock "If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed. If he has a talent and uses only half of it, he has partly failed. If he has a talent and learns somehow to use the whole of it, he has gloriously succeeded and has a satisfaction and a triumph few men ever know." -- Thomas Wolfe "The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe "We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations." "Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads." -- Erica Jong 'Without legends, dreams die. When dreams die, there is no opportunity for greatness. Greatness is a measure in one's spirit, not in the results of one's rank in human affairs." To dream anything that you want to dream, that is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do, that is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself, to test your limits, that is the courage to succeed. - Bernard Edmonds, American Writer Believe in yourself and in your dream, Though impossible things may seem Someday, somehow you'll get through To the goal you have in view. Mountains fall and seas divide, Before the one who in his stride Takes a hard road by day Sweeping obstacles away Believe in yourself and in your plan Say not -I cannot -I can The prizes of life we fail to win Because we doubt the power within... ANON About the author: Craig Lock is the author of the Mad Money Book. He has been involved in the personal finance field for many years. Craig has studied and written extensively on money matters: articles, brochures for financial institutions and books. For more valuable ideas and money information visit him at http://www.nzenterprise.com/money/index.html You'll also find his Online Money Management Course at http://www.nzenterprise.com/manage/index.html Craig's money books are available at: http://www.bridgeniche.com/CLOCK/zaniestbooks.htm THIS ARTICLE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED "If you have knowledge, let others light a candle to it." - Margaret Fuller How useful did you find this article? This article can be downloaded freely from http://www.get-articles.com and used on your website or in your ezine so long as the author is credited and their resource box left intact. You should not change any links in the article, and where the article is used on a website it's links should be clickable. Please see our terms and conditions page for more information: http://www.get-articles.com/authors-publishers-terms.php |
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