The Success Principles ~ Principle #3

Principle #3 in Jack Canfield's Success Principles is Decide what you want.

One of the things I love about this principle is the use of the word "decide." Yep, you get to make it up. No one else gets to decide what you want. Not your parents, your partner, your kids, your boss, your neighbours, your classmates. You. So what are you going to choose? What is it you want?

This chapter provides some great insights into how we get out of touch with knowing what we want (I bet you know right off the bat some of the things that get in your way) and how to reconnect with our desires. Of the several exercises that Canfield offers, there are two that I'm going to explore this week. I encourage you to try them on with me and share what you discover.

The first is "When you are confronted with a choice, no matter how small or insignificant, act as if you have a preference." How often do you say, "Oh, it doesn't matter. Either one is fine"? Or when you get the served the wrong thing, do you think, "Oh, it's not worth the hassle. This is fine." In the past I have done that sort of thing with my husband and movie selection. I like a broader range of films, so I'll often let him be the driving force in making the choice. Over the past year though, I've made sure that there's times when I say, "How about we give Seducing Dr. Lewis a try?" There's definitely some things I won't ask him to watch because I know he won't enjoy it, and vice versa. But by sharing the truth about our preferences, we can expand each other's horizons. (I never thought I would have laughed at Dodgeball)

Recently I made what was for me a bold move in asking for what I want. Justin and I were out for lunch and when we were taken to our seats in the restaurant, I wasn't pleased. We were near 2 big-screen TVs, the washroom and the kitchen, and it was noisy. We sat down for a minute, and then I politely went to the hostess and requested a seat in a quieter section of the restaurant. And so we moved. It was no big deal and we enjoyed ourselves much, much more than we would have in the first seats. I couldn't believe it could be that easy.

Another powerful exercise Canfield offers is create a list of 30 things you want to do, 30 things you want to have and 30 things you'd like to do before you die. Personally, I'm not sure what the distinction between the first and the last is, so I'm going to focus on the first two.

If you decide to do the same, let me know. I'd love to hear about what you want. Oh, and remember you can wish for what you want on Wishcasting!