11. Why Do You Want It?

What is that thing that you want so bad you can taste it? What is the driving force behind you getting up every morning to pound the pavement, answer those phones, work long hours, take those orders, or do the presentation? You must have a strong desire to win! If you choose to just be, and operate on autopilot, you are setting yourself up for failure. Do you realize that all thought first begins with desire? Desires are basically the intangible feeling you get when you have an unfulfilled want or need. What you desire the most is usually what you will think about the most and therefore draw into your life. Many of the thoughts you have on a daily basis are random thoughts that serve as triggers that prompt negative and anxious emotions, usually causing stress. These thoughts are stored in your mind waiting for an opportunity to rear their ugly heads often.

Why do you want to get your financial life in order? Is it to achieve financial security and freedom that can change lives? Why do you want to be able to save? So you can eventually spend more, or to be prepared for the things you must purchase in life? Why do you want better credit? Is it to to buy more things, or move your family into a better school district and purchase a home with the best interest rate? Why do you want to start a business? Is it to just say that you have a business, or is it to make your mark on the world and improve lives or fill a void in the marketplace? Why do you want to be wealthy for that matter? Until you discover your “why,” you might be doing things for the wrong reason. In essence, you have no purpose outside of having more. In an age in which more is better as you look to be super-sized and have instant gratification, that should be enough, right? Wrong!

Until you explore your “why,” you’re stuck in a perpetual state of going through the motions usually for the wrong reasons. Is your family the reason you wake up every morning to get to work early to earn the paycheck? Is it to purchase that thing you’ve been wanting all your life? Is it to show others that you can accomplish a goal? Is it to prove to yourself that you can do what you set your mind to? Is it to provide for your parents in their old age? Is it to live by example and show others what is truly possible? Whatever your reason might be, the key is to have a reason. Know what your “why” is to give your quest purpose and eliminate the thoughts that don’t contribute to your progression.

When posed with this question, I realized that it wasn’t just enough to say I needed to earn money or to provide for my family. Why did I want to provide for my family? Is it because society tells me that’s what I’m supposed to do as a man? Or is it that I want them to see the values of a good work ethic, to be cared for financially to have a better life, and possibly to begin to build generational wealth that will allow them to enjoy life and broaden their horizons. That’s my “why” that I keep before me and renew daily. So what’s your “why?”

If you could get clear enough to find your “why” before you take your next step, I wonder how much abundance would flow into your life. When you don’t know why you are acting, choosing, or moving in one direction or another, there’s no passion, reason, or purpose in your life!

If you don’t know your “why,”

You can’t be clear and centered and make the best decisions for your own life.

You often feel stuck. You procrastinate. You get cluttered in your mind.

You aren’t being pulled toward your goals by your inspiration. Instead, you are simply going through the motions.

When I decided to venture out and start my own business, I had many people who were close to me try to talk me out if it. The main ones talking me out of it were individuals who had never taken a risk in their lives. I understood they weren’t talking me out of it because they didn’t want to see me succeed, but rather they felt they had my best interest at heart. Many refer to this group of persuaders as dream-stealers because you often become discouraged and apprehensive about living your dreams after being told that you shouldn’t. During the startup years it was rough, to say the least, but in essence it was one of the most rewarding, character-building experiences in my life.

In the midst of the process, the bills were mounting and my savings had been exhausted. The thing that kept me going was the DESIRE to succeed. It was sheer willpower that pushed me and told me to keep going. I felt that this had become my calling. I realized that challenges were inevitable, but if I had a strong will to make it work, I would be able to make it through. I had made a decision to push through no matter what it looked like. I was embracing the attitude that whatever didn’t kill me would ultimately make me stronger.

Do you desire positive thoughts or do you desire to fill your mind with negative thoughts? You might be saying you can’t help but think about the things that are wrong because you’re working to fix them. I’ve created a process to refocus, reshape, and renew your mind to reverse those negative thoughts to meet the demands of life and avoid the negative items that spread and keep you frozen.

You must realize that your mind and your finances must be connected; this link begins with your thoughts. You don’t have to allow the negative thoughts to invade your brain and body and affect your financial life. You have the power to control these thoughts, but without the proper planning, self-control, and discipline, you leave yourself exposed and susceptible to a negative thought process.

Imagine that you are self-employed and need additional customers to earn the funds needed to keep the lights on. If you focus on the fact that you don’t have the money now to get the lights turned on, rather the actions needed to acquire the money, you won’t be able to carry out the plan to meet the need. You are using valuable brain power and energy thinking about the issue rather than thinking about the solution.

Your desires lead to thoughts that lead to decisions and ultimately actions, but the desire is the trigger that starts the chain reaction. You must realize that you’re always making a decision. Whether it’s deciding to move or stand still, a decision was made because deciding to do nothing is still a decision.

Too often we skip our thoughts, feelings, and the psychology of our personal financial success and go right to implementing theories, practices, and concepts that we don’t even know are right for our situations, personality, or thought processes. We begin ventures that sound good or invest in things that we don’t love nor have the capacity to build. Therefore, we find that budgeting, saving, and investing methods fail. Not because they are faulty, but because we haven’t taken the time to prepare mentally and explore our “whys.” We haven’t explored why we really want to achieve our goals, or overcome our obstacles, and accumulate wealth, and achieve success. What’s our reason for wanting success anyway? Why do we get up and go to work every day?

For this connection to be made, it has to be for more than a paycheck. You have to internalize your thoughts and know what works best for your situation. Similar to a diet, just because it works for one person doesn’t mean the same diet will work for you as well.

You are not alone. All over the world people deal with uncontrolled desires that lead to brokenness, lack of funds, and bad credit, all to realize unfulfilled dreams or wants that they tell themselves are needs. The reality is that some deal with it better than others and thrive. Many people experience success because they have created a system in their minds to overcome these obstacles to focus on what’s important. In other words, they know how to focus on the main thing and develop a plan that allows them to realize the dream.

Negative desires or unrealistic desires give birth to foul or unrealistic thoughts, which translate into stress. You can’t be double-minded and focus on what’s wrong and work to improve the situation at the same time. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t acknowledge what is wrong in your life, but you shouldn’t focus just on the problem. Instead, you must be solution-centered and develop a methodology that propels you to where you want to go in life.

Your “why” is your inspired reason.

People who find their “why” improve their focus, and then they attract more success and abundance! When you come from a place of inspiration, then you know you have found your “why.” If you are taking action because it feels good, you have found your “why.” When you are crystal clear that the step you are about to take is right for you, you have found your “why.” Remember, the Law of Attraction sends you situations that have the same energy and vibration you are putting out. So, when you are feeling inspired and confident because you know how to find your “why,” the universe will bring you more opportunities that match this energetic feeling.