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Count Your Chickens Before They've Hatched
Deon Du Plessis
At some stage in your life, you've probably been told not
to count your chickens before they have hatched. You were
probably told to not get your hopes up and to not expect too
much - just in case you might be disappointed. For most of
us this, or some variation of it, was told to us over and
over again by well meaning, but ill informed people. From
an early age the idea of staying in an emotional "safe zone"
was instilled in most of us until it eventually became belief
systems that now control our behaviours. We live in a culture
were the predominant psychology is based in fear. The fear
of loss drives and motivates most people's decisions and behaviours.
From this mindset the culture invented mechanisms to protect
itself and saying like "don't count your chickens before they've
hatched" is but only and illustration of how the culture prepares
and "grooms" us from an early age to settle for the lowest
denominator. "Go for the lowest and easiest to make sure that
you at least get something." "Don't expect too much, just
in case you don't get anything at all." From this mindset
we loose all our power; the power that is born in the belief
that we are indeed worthy of all the success and all the abundance
that we can possibly dream of.
Expectation is indeed one of the most powerful resources that
you possess. An intense anticipation can transform possibility
into reality. One of the biggest reasons why most people never
get to live their dreams is because they lack the motivation
to follow their dreams. The real purpose of a goal is to act
like a directional mechanism that guides your life in a specific
direction. A strong and exciting goal has the power to motivate
and inspire you. When you fuel this goal with expectation
you set in motion an unstoppable force that will give you
that internal drive that will enable you to create virtually
anything you desire. When you count your chickens before they've
hatched you create a sense of excitement and enthusiasm that
has immense power to motivate you. Success and achievement
are rarely the result of your ability but rather the product
of your motivation; of your ability to consistently take action
on your dreams and goals.
Expectation is not the same as hope. Most people hope that
one day they will get what they really want or that one day
they will get lucky and all their dreams will come true. Hoping
is nothing but a weak prayer. Hoping always includes success
and failure while expectation is solely fixed on one single
outcome. When you count your chickens before they've hatched
you nurture your expectation; you make it stronger and most
importantly, you make it real. It is a fixity of purpose where
no one or no-thing can throw you off course. When you create
that intense feeling of expectation you not only imagine having
what you want but you start to create the feeling of already
having it.
Whatever you expect with certainty will become your own self
fulfilling prophecy. We all long for certainty on some level.
For most people certainty comes from seeing and experiencing
things before they "believe" it. This is why they keep re-creating
and experiencing the same old things over and over again.
When you use your mind, your emotions and your imagination
to create the certainty within you, then anything is possible.
Expectation goes beyond hoping. You want to be like the little
kid on Christmas who knows that he's getting a new bike, but
he has to wait until Christmas morning before he can actually
feel and touch it.
Have you ever ordered something really exciting and then had
to wait for it in the post? You knew you were going to get
it and you anxiously await the moment of delivery. You anticipate
the moment where the image in your mind's eye becomes real
and where you can touch it, even though the imaginary experience
felt just as real. This is what expectation really is. It
is getting excited in advance. It is feeling the feelings
in advance. It is the most powerful motivator there is. Expectation,
fuelled by emotion, acts like a vacuum within you. It is like
a thirst that forms a burning desire that you will do anything
to fulfill. This is when your "should's" become "musts" and
when it is a must you will get it.
With expectation you can start to transform your perception
of life, especially your life. Because you no longer hope
for what you want, you expect it to come along any second.
There are no more doubts and no more hoping. There is only
a knowing and a feeling of certainty. When you know something
you can stop doubting and questioning. Now, every situation
becomes an opportunity to receive your goal. Every person
becomes a player in the process and every problem becomes
a stepping stone towards the realization of your dreams. You
have that certainty that the outcome is resolved and that
you are merely in the process; waiting for "Christmas morning"
to come.
You have to let go of the mentality that is based on the fear
of loss; the mentality that is grounded in the belief that
you are not worthy of having it all. Let go of the beliefs
that you might be disappointed when you give it your all and
it doesn't work out. All they do is to lock you up in a world
where you never even "try" just because you might not make
it. If anything you want to overestimate your abilities. Over
estimate your capability. When you feel like you are running
up a hill that is too steep, don't turn back and run down
hill. Instead, up the prize for getting to the top. Make the
reward more compelling and you will find within yourself a
strength that was previously unavailable. This is how you
access your real resources, those resources that lie asleep
within you waiting to be called upon. Nothing of significant
value has ever been created without enthusiasm.
Do whatever it takes to "count" your chickens; whatever it
takes to create the feeling of already having it. If you have
goals you need to start living them and the way you do that
is to build your expectation. Do whatever it takes to create
the feeling of already having it. Make it real. The legendary
musician, Jackson Browne once said that whenever he gets nominated
for an award he always expects to win, even when he is the
underdog. He always prepares a victory speech. What is your
victory speech? How can you prepare for what you desire most
from life? What can you do to make it real? Most people plan
to fail by never expecting to succeed. Remember that your
results will rarely exceed your expectations.
Deon Du Plessis is the founder of The Self Improvement
Gym, and author of (in)action, a groundbreaking new action
guide for eliminating procrastination.
http://www.selfimprovement-gym.com
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
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