Getting To The EDGE and Choosing To Dive
Posted: Friday, July 10, 2009
by Darren L Johnson
InsideOut Learning, Inc.
Last week's article defined what it means to be on the "edge."
The following question was the impetus for writing this series about being on the "edge."
What happens when I do the BE Statements and the other activities in your book, repeat them every morning and night, but after a week or so, nothing happens? I can actually feel myself changing, but I get scared and that fear makes me want to move back toward what I am familiar with. What is this about?
Successful people choose to dive, once they reach the "edge." Diving is premeditated, beautiful, breathtaking, and complete with executed form. In other words, diving is about successfully realizing set goals that have resulted from one's dream.
In January 2002 I had begun grad school. In order to attend the monthly sessions, I had to fly back and forth between Tennessee and DC. Later that year something amazing happened. While driving through the mountains of Tennessee, I remember looking out at the mountains and saying to myself, with conviction, "I want to secure a contract in which I am making at least $10,000/month, for the next two years, and I want the contract to be based in DC. This way I can attend grad school, pay for it, and life will be better because of it." That was in April of 2002.
In August of that same year, I signed a contract with a client in DC and was making a bit more than what I asked for during my drive through the mountains. I believed, I had no doubt, I wrote down my goals, and I kept my ears and heart open to the possibilities of securing such a contract. That, my friends, was a dive. I have had many dives like that in my life. Some pretty, some not so pretty, but they were dives nonetheless.
So let's talk about what led to that contract, i.e. that beautiful dive.
Believe in your expertise, skills, and plan of action. I believed with all my heart that it was going to happen. Nothing (and no person) could have convinced me otherwise. I also talked about wanting to secure a contract with those closest to me.
I wrote down that desire in specific terms. Meaning I specified the monthly compensation, the time frame, and the location in my internal conversation. I visualized it as well. I could see myself living in DC, driving to class. This was part of my plan. I continuously looked around for an apartment, identified a community in the DC/Maryland area in which I wanted to live. I even did a little prospecting for new clients in that area as well. All of that activity was the physical manifestation of my plan. The end result was a swan dive (so to speak) that was wonderfully and effectively executed, with the support of universal law.
It takes plenty of courage to go after the realization of a dream. Courage and tenacity are two key ingredients necessary for executing a successful dive. In addition to those ingredients, one must also have hope.
There are some very basic reflective questions that should be answered at this point. Answering the following questions will help you muster what is necessary to realize your dreams, and choose to move to the "edge" and take your dive.
- When did you last choose to dive off the "edge?" If you didn't dive, why not?
- What dream are you holding on to that you could go after today?
- What do you need to "let go of" in order to fulfill that dream?
- Finally, what the heck are you waiting for? Get off your rut, and get started.
Here are some steps that you can implement TODAY to begin to move toward making your magnificent dive off the "edge."
- Acknowledge your hesitation and identify the reasons you are not moving living your dream by responding to the above questions
- Write your hesitations/reasons down, read them, and then throw them away
- Get a personal journal and write down your dreams all of them
- Categorize your dreams according to your level of passion for each
- Pick the one you have the most heartfelt passion for, and turn it into a plan for action
- Include in your plan a vision, objectives, and specify dates for activities that move you toward accomplishment
- Create a vision in your mind's eye of what you will be and look like after you realize your dream (in other words, after you have taken your dive off the "edge")
Want to learn more about Letting Go of Stuff, go to http://www.LettingGoOfStuff.com/
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)What I think is amazing is the fact that you have both realized your goals and developed a structure for helping others to realize theirs. Well-written. Thank you!Thanks for your comments about my article. I hope you enjoy the entire series, which can be found by searching the phrase, "Getting To The Edge" on the searchwarp's site.
extremely useful information that I can use!
Darren, again well done, and using your experience as an example is valuable in one taking your advice to heart. Great job!! Teresa
Hi Darren,I am looking forward to reading the series. This has provided me an impetus to revisit my goals. Thank you so much.Blessings.Best and warm regards,NenitaHi Nenita. Thank you for your comments about the article. The follow up is now available. The entire series is on searchwarp. Just search using the phrase "Getting To The Edge" and you will find the entire series.
Looking forward to reading your work as well.Hi Nenita. Thank you for your comments about the article. The follow up is now available. The entire series is on searchwarp. Just search using the phrase "Getting To The Edge" and you will find the entire series.
Looking forward to reading your work as well.
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