What do you Really want?

Many complement the web 2.0 movement. Many start to complement healthier lifestyle marketing and the Green movement. Today I salute the movement towards the importance of Lifestyle Design. There are many teachers and mentors in this field. Besides the industry - Family or friends may take on these roles as well.

My interpretation of lifestyle design (as I consider it an art, subject to the speaker’s interpretation) is that to start, you need to know what you want in order to receive it.
Many people don’t think about this in great detail, or it’s very general and vague because they either don’t want to commit to the desire, it’s not the core of what they truly want or by nature they are afraid of it. In order to live a better more enriching life, “I want to win a million dollars”, “I want a new job”, “I want a new life”, “I want to lose weight”... all of these desires are too general and cannot be accurately measured. All big desires require some sort of commitment, sacrifice and change. Three words that many people cower from. But why?
You already commit, sacrifice and change every day!
Why not start doing it in the direction You choose?

First: Decide what you want
Sit down, today, right now if you can, with a note pad (harder to erase and dismiss than a computer file) and let’s have a conversation. What is it that you want? What could change in your life granting you a more fulfilling lifestyle? Write 3 main desires. Be specific and detailed. Instead of writing “I want to be rich”, write “I will to own ten million dollars in the next five years”. Instead of wanting to spend more time with your husband/wife, write “starting next week and for the next month, I will spend an extra hour every week with my special someone just talking about passion/hobbies/interests,” etc.

Later on when you have more time I would suggest having a formal Goal setting session.
This is when you would set goals for each of the four main categories in life:
1. Your health and wellness goals
2. Your family and friendship goals
3. Your passion and success goals
4. Your career and financial goals

Second: Decide how you will tackle and measure success?
After determining what you want, set down a few large necessities for accomplishing said goals.
For example, if you wish to own 10 million dollars in the next five years, a change in career or starting one’s own business may be needed. To spend more time with your family, you may need to negotiate getting off an hour earlier on Friday. For long term goals; two macro-view check points usually help. For short term goals; indicate the one main factor that needs to change to obtain said goal.
Once these tent pole checkpoints are set, writing a simple timeline for your goal is a good way to stay on track.

Third: Decide first/next steps
This is arguably the most important step. Do something to start moving in the direction of your goals Today!
It can be a little step or a larger step - but take the step today. It’s best to take steps towards your goals every day. The momentum will keep you motivated and positive.

The secret here is to recondition your thinking and your daily habits to a more positive goal driven lifestyle that improves your moral on the day to day level. You start with the end goal in mind… but what really counts is how you feel on a daily basis. The improvement of that feeling, the increased motivation, the more positive outcome – is the actual key to realistically reaching your goals! Live in the moment – for your future! And, Start Today!