Monday Motivation | Are you working for the future you want?

Today, I'd like to share a simple analogy. Let's say you're sitting at home one night and hunger starts to set in. You decide to call a restaurant, across town, and place an order for pick up. You reach for your phone and speak with a friendly person on the other line who gladly receives your order. She even repeats back your specific requests for sauce on the side and extra rolls. She gives you last minute instructions about when the meal would be ready for pick up and who to ask for when you arrive. You say your goodbyes and disconnect. After the phone call, you kill a little time then decide to get ready to head out.

 You put on something presentable, apply gloss and take a few moments to do your hair. You think ahead about the traffic ahead and quicken your pace so your food doesn't get cold awaiting your arrival. You throw your wallet in a bag that goes with your outfit and head out. Sure the restaurant is a little further out but the food makes it all worth it. By the time you arrive, 40 minutes after your conversation, your food is piping hot and waiting for you. After signing the receipt you head home to enjoy your meal. It's a simple transaction that I'm sure everyone reading this has experienced before. 


I'd like you to use this example as an analogy for manifestation and goal achievement. What if, when we state our intentions, the preparation process begins. Now it's up to you to move in the direction towards receiving it. You've got to get ready, leave the house, burn gas, drive across town, give them your money, and drive back home, in order to have what you want. But the whole time, the meal is being prepared for you. It's waiting for you to take the actions necessary to receive it.

 The intentions you have are awaiting you. But instead of getting ready and moving towards it, you do nothing. I have certain intentions in which I take little to no action. These I like to categorize as wishes, not intentions. Wishes are when I think "you know what would be nice?... or when I say "I'd love to do that someday."  But I take no steps to work in that direction.   I don't behave as if what I want is already being prepared for me. Chances are, I'll never experience those wishes unless I take action to move towards it.  Once I place the order for it (so to speak), I have to start preparing to receive it.  Otherwise, I'm like the prank caller who places the order without having any intentions to pick it up. It becomes a joke.

This may be why some successful people like to review their goals each day.  They keep their goals in front of them to ensure they are moving in the direction of their desired outcome.  I read in a book that most people have a hard time picturing the future version of themselves.  The younger you are, the harder it becomes to identify with "future you."  This is quite dangerous because, technically, you should be "working" for future you.  The  things you say you want are meant to be enjoyed by future you.  But, if that person isn't that real to you,  your actions will correlate with this way of thinking.

This is why I've been practicing aligning my actions towards ensuring the future me gets to enjoy the experiences that I/she wants.  It could be something simple as decluttering a room so that future me gets to work in a peaceful environment.  Going to the gym so future me reaps the benefits.  And so on.  There are so many things I get to enjoy today because of the steps I took in the past to make it happen.  I don't mind working hard because I'll be rewarded for all my efforts.  Most people don't think of all the work involved in picking up a meal from your favorite restaurant across town.  Why?  Because (future) you will enjoy a delicious dinner as a result.

Yes, you work for a company, but you also work for yourself.  You have a very important job that should be taken very seriously.  It is up to you to put in the work.