subject: Are You Living in Survival Mode? [print this page] Are You Living in Survival Mode? Are You Living in Survival Mode?
I believe we all have the desire to aspire higher. Higher than where you currently are; higher than your family of origin; and higher than generations past. Of course, this is a common and very normal desire, yet too many people end up with the desire and nothing to show for it. Why does this happen? Why are so many people not living out their heart's desire? The main reason is a lack of clarity for your life. If you don't know where you are going, then how can you know how to get there? Life the saying goes, if you don't know where you are going, then any road will take you there!
Instead of gaining clarity on our dreams and desires, we get caught up in the never-ending cycle of busywork, constantly putting out fires and living in survival mode. As leadership expert and author John Maxwell says, instead of "preparing" for our future, we are busy "repairing" our past. When we lack the clarity and focus of what it is we desire to be, to do, and to have, then our lives become a series of busy tasks just to fill the void. Parkinson's Law states "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". This means that any space and time that is not filled up with high priority or goal-oriented tasks, will be filled up with lesser or low priority tasks. As Spinoza once said, "Nature abhors a vacuum!" If you do not consciously, intentionally and deliberately create your vision for your life, you life will become a series of useless and mindless activities, just to fill up your day.
Instead of living to survive, you must live a thriving life; a life of "thrival". A life of thrival is a life lived according to a conscious and divinely inspired plan. It is a life lived intentionally, deliberately and on purpose. Because most of us have made it a habit of living a life of survival, it can seem difficult to shift that process into a live of "thrival."
First, get crystal clear on what it is you truly wish to be, to do and to have. Picture it in the theater of your mind. What does your ideal day look like? What do you do in your ideal day? What truly lights you up? See it, feel it and believe it. Continue to visualize this picture. Our minds think in pictures; clarify your ideal day using bright, vivid images.
Second, outline the vision in terms of what must be done to turn this into your reality. Write small, attainable goals that you can take to make this vision your reality. In the Hebrew Scriptures, we are told to write the vision and make it plain. This is profound wisdom! Writing it down gets it out of your head and into your reality if only on paper! The act of writing it down makes it real enough to tweak and solidify. Also, make it plain it must be clear enough that a child could understand. If it is unclear, cloudy or complicated, then you won't make the effort to take action; and your subconscious mind will receive conflicting information and not know how to work on your behalf.
Third, take small, focused inspired action on your vision everyday. This creates momentum and discipline. You want your desire to become a habitual part of your daily life. Taking consistent and inspired action everyday will help you to not only determine the next inspired action, but will shift your focus to where you are not just surviving and doing busywork, bit actually working toward creating the life you truly desire.
And finally, measure your progress at the end of each day and week. This allows you to tweak and adjust what is not working for you and to clarify what may seem unclear. When you create a habit of living towards your desired objectives, you will find that you are not longer putting out fires and living in survival mode. You are living your heart's desire consciously, creatively and confidently!
