7 Surefire Rules to A Better YOU - Part 7 of 7

Rule 7 - Realize that What You Want, You Will Get.

A couple of years ago, I experienced the power of getting what I wanted - though it was not what I would call a pleasant experience. We just bought a new X-Trail, and on one visit to my parents', we parked the car across the house. Now this is where my parents and siblings always park their cars, and there were no issues. However, as my bedroom has the view of this parking space, I constantly flip the curtain open to see if the car is ok. When my dogs bark, even once, I jump on my bed to look at the car. When I hear voices, I'm up again. It's safe to say, that I never was able to get a good night's worth of slumber! Then, an unbelievable thing happened - one night, as I heard the dogs bark and I looked outside, I saw 3 men in black by my car - well, technically, half of their bodies were in my car! At that second, I felt my heart literally stop. I was shocked! I woke my husband up and we ran downstairs. The hustle and bustle woke the entire family up, and we were down within seconds. By then, the thieves had run away, and we were left to see the damage that they caused on the X-Trail - one shattered window, my husband's stolen Ray-Bans, some damage on the dashboard and a lot of broken hearts. They tried to steal the radio, but couldn't - and stole the radio remote control instead (just to show us they were angry, it seemed).

So, lesson learnt. I got exactly what I was looking for. Every night, I slept in fear that my car was going to be broken into, and guess what...it finally was.

Many of you would have heard of the saying "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve" or "Whether you think you can or you cannot, you are right". There are so many of such quotes and sayings, across the centuries, and they all mean the same thing - You Get Exactly What You Want.

Those of you who have watched or read The Secret will know what I'm saying. The concept is a very simple, basic one - You get what you want - but in reality, this is one of the most difficult concepts for man to fathom, accept or live.

People Who Know ThisThere are thousands out there who know this concept, and they practise this

1. Jack Canfield, author of the Chicken Soup series. Canfield was a teacher, making USD 8000 a year. Then, he decided he wanted to make USD 100,000 a year. So he thought about it, felt it in every fibre of his being, visualized it, worked at it when opportunity came his way - and in the end, though a few thousand dollars short of his dream, he ended up with more than USD 90,000! How can that happen?

2. Shahrukh Khan, famed Bollywood actor. Days before Shahrukh was a huge star, he had a dream to marry his girlfriend. A nice, simple dream, except that he was a Muslim, and his girlfriend, a staunch Hindu. They kept the relationship under wraps for 6 years, but Shahrukh simply refused to give up his dream of marrying this girl. It may seem like nothing special, but in India, marrying someone from a different caste or religion can prove fatal! But he persisted, and persisted, and persisted, knowing deep in him that someday, she will be his - and that day came by, and today, Shahrukh is happily married to Gauri, the girl he was relentlessly pursuing.

3. Christina Aguilera, American recording artiste and actress, with a string of awards in her possession. When interviewed, she was asked if she had ever imagined being the success story that she is today, and she answered"It freaks me out when I think about it, but I think I'm a bit psychic and that I predicted my own future for everything has happened exactly how I used to daydream it would." How did she do it?

There are thousands more who know this.

Remember this concept!
If you want something bad enough, you will get it - and it doesn't matter if what you want is something good or bad.
What do you want?
Have you ever taken the time to think of what it is you really want in life? Of what makes you happy?
- A million dollars?
- A Rolls Royce?
- Getting married to the man of your dreams?
- A dream vacation?
- Great kids?

Here's the thing - you CAN and you WILL get what you want, if you want it bad enough.

You Get What You Fear!This is true too.
Sometimes, without realizing it, we worry too much. We are bogged down by too much fear.
We constantly fear that
- we will have no money
- we will die alone
- our loved ones will forget us
- our car will get stolen
- someone will knock us from behind, while stuck in traffic
- we'll get robbed

Guess what? We get exactly what we fear about too!
WHY? Because, when we fear something, we tend to think about it SO very much.

The Butterfly Effect
Here's a good example.
My youngest sister is terrified of moths, butterflies (and well, basically any creature that flies!). The amazing thing is, that when all 6 of us go out for dinner, and there is a moth, it naturally gravitates towards her! It's true! The same thing happens to my other sister and her experiences with cockroaches, and mine with spiders.

I'm sure that you've experienced this before, or know of someone who has. What you think about most, you attract.

The Power Of ThoughtNow that you know this, what are you going to do about it?
STOP from letting your fears and negative thoughts rule your life anymore.
START taking charge of your life, by changing your thoughts.

Here are some ways you can use to start living the life you desire and deserve:

1. Get a Notebook. Not the electronic kind, the normal ones we can actually write on with a pen! This is your book. You can call it what you want - Your Goals Book, Life Journal, Guide to a Better You, Daily Musings -anything. Decorate the book if you wish, as it will stay with you for awhile.

2. Write your Dream List - Write down 30 things you wish to have in your life, right now. Think of 30 things that will make you really happy if you have it right now. It can be anything, from material possessions, monetary goals, family ideas, anything. Write down 30. If you find that you have more than 30, go crazy! Write them all, but we will prioritize on these 30 first.

3. Be as detailed as you can - Make your Dream List as detailed as possible. For example, if you want to get married to your dream man within the year, then write down what kind of a man you want - smart, holds a PhD, can make me laugh, loves to cook. Here's something you MUST remember, though - never, never, never put anything negative in your book - you can't even sound negative. For example, instead of wishing for your dream man to be "not a bad dancer", you should wish for "a great dancer". Or instead of wishing for "my boss to not fire me", wish for "a fantastic job, in a perfect workplace, with a great boss". Eliminate the "not", "can't", "won't", "maybe". Replace these with positive words

4. Write in the present tense. This can be tough, but make sure that all your items in your Dream List is in the present - that means, write like you already have it. So, instead of writing "I wish I can take one month off work to vacation in Bali", write "I am in beautiful Bali for a month, sitting by the beach, eating an ice cream, watching the sunrise". Why? Because research has proven that if your mind believes that you have experienced this before, it will try to achieve it again. It's mental conditioning.

5. Make it Real - If possible, find pictures/ photos of the 30 items in your Dream List, and paste it in your book - it makes it real. For example, if it's a Ferrari you want, then find a picture of a Ferrari, of the colour you want, maybe from a magazine, and paste it on the book. Then, paste a photo of you standing by the Ferrari. When your mind sees this often enough, it will believe that this is real. Or, go by a Ferrari showroom or car dealer, and test drive one. You will never forget that experience!

6. Daily Affirmation - Now that your Dream List is complete, look at it everyday. Repetition is the key to getting what you want. Look at them everyday, feel like you're already living it, and go on with your day. Don't do it as a chore - be happy doing it.

7. Daily Practise - Now, we have to practise living our dream everyday. Start by being happy at life. Just be happy. If something makes you unhappy, find something else that would channel all that unhappiness into happiness. For example, you're driving, the traffic is bad. You are starting to feel angry, and you find yourself thinking these thoughts "Why couldn't I have woke up 30 minutes earlier?" or "Why are the roads so congested - did everyone decide to go to work today?" or "Man! Look at that guy with that attitude! I wish he gets caught!". When you find yourself thinking these or more negative thoughts, STOP. Do something that makes you happy - turn on the radio, put on a song you like, start singing something to pick your mood up, think of your pet at home, maybe call someone you love (please use the handsfree kit!). You can change your mood, because you are in charge of your life, your moods, your emotions, your days. YOU are responsible for making yourself happy. Also, always be grateful for what you have
- Stuck in traffic? Be grateful you're in the car
- Your heels broke? Be grateful you have some money to get a new pair
- The food at the restaurant was horrible? Be grateful that you had a good time with your friends there.
- Your mum is always at your throat? Be grateful you have a mum who cares enough to argue for your benefit.
There is always something we can be grateful for.

So, try this, and see how they will change your life.


Hope these 7 Rules can serve as a guidance to a better life.
Good luck!
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Sharmila is the Director of the Professional Excellence and Lifelong Learning Centre.
The opinions expressed here represent that of her opinion, based on her personal experiences.
For more information, please contact her at sharm79@gmail.com.