by Catherine Graham

Created on: March 14, 2009   Last Updated: March 23, 2009

It's amazing, isn't it, how when we want to reach a goal, we start out with a high expectancy of how we are going to get there, we're strong, determined, and happy to follow our dreams. And then, our motivation starts to slip away, and we are ultimately met with another failure on our list. So really, what is it, that takes away our motivation and our determination to succeed?

For the majority of us, it is FEAR. There are many things that we can be fearful of, and sometimes, we can classify our fear in more than one way. We can have a fear of failure, and a fear of success. We can have a fear of money (either lack there of, or a self doubt of how much we are worth) We can have fear of ourselves, and leaving our own comfort zones.

When we live with the fear of the unexpected, we typically tend to stop what it is that we are trying to obtain. As Alan Carr states in his book, The Easy Way To Stop Smoking, it is easier for us to lose our good habits (playing a musical instrument, meditation, exercise) than it is for us to replace the bad ones (like smoking and over eating)

Generally, it takes twenty one days for us to get into the habit of doing something. Therefore, it takes twenty one days for us to break a habit as well.

In order to break a habit, we must first reprogram our minds, to believe that we are already successful in what we are trying to achieve. Our minds are made up of two different parts, one being the conscious mind, and one being the subconscious. While the conscious mind is very critical, and very domineering, it only takes up 5% of our brain. The subconscious mind however, is like that of a four year old child...it will listen to whatever you tell it (I am a non smoker, I am successful, etc) The subconscious mind is always willing to help and always thinking positively. The subconscious mind takes up 95% of our brain, but, in order to get into it, we first need to take out the conscious part of our brain. This can be done through life coaching, hypnosis, meditation and creative visualization.

Our subconscious mind is like a sponge. From the moment we are born, until this very day, your subconscious mind absorbs every thought and action you make, and every thought and action of the world around you. However, the subconscious mind can not tell the difference between a real memory and a fake memory.

If I were to tell you to think of a big juicy lemon, you can picture it in your head. Now imagine yourself take a bite out of the lemon. What are you feeling right now? Has your mouth started to salivate the way it would had you taken a bite of a real lemon? This is the way it works for achieving your personal goals as well.

Imagine yourself achieving the goal, imagine the feelings that you have associated with achieving that goal (would you feel happy, elated, awesome, etc) When you repeat this to yourself, over and over again, your subconscious mind will begin to believe that this is in fact the reality. If you are a smoker, and classify yourself as a smoker, although your trying to quit, your subconscious mind will still believe you are a smoker.

Personal goals do not need to fail. We all have the possibilities to achieve every thought, action and dream that we have, if we truly believe that we can.

Until next time,

Live love and love life

xo

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