The Universe Works With A Made Up Mind

Have you ever heard the quote….”The Universe Works with a Made-Up Mind”?

It’s a quote that implies when you make up your mind, and put energy and effort behind something that has meaning to you, the universe will surprisingly put things in your path, bring people into your life, and present opportunities to help you achieve it.

In other words, once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.
To put it in really simple terms it means…….

After a period of consideration, you’ve made a decision.  You’re moving forward and taking action.  You’re binding yourself to a commitment.  You won’t be deterred.

So the key question I have for you is….

What is that one big goal, that one thing you’ve been considering, mulling over, that never goes away?  What is it you need to make up your mind to do?  What is that one big goal, that if you made a decision to go after it, would be a game changer?

We all have this notion that in order to achieve any significant goal in life, we first have to start with some grandiose gesture. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In the real world, the journey to success begins with a first step. You may not realize it, but that first small tiny step will be the catalyst to help you gain momentum, traction, and ultimately success.
Taking action is hard and often scary. And there are always a host of reasons not to try.

But I promise you two things. If you start to create a road map for yourself. If you commit to persistent action every day (no matter how small). You will make progress against that BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) that you’ve been contemplating for a long time.

My challenge to you is have the audacity to go after that goal. And the universe will conspire with you to make it happen.  With that in mind, let’s move forward and start working on achieving your goal!

First, verbalize it, say it, write it down, repeat it, internalize it, share it. Do this over and over until you believe it yourself! This exercise is about getting your personal buy-in! Because trust me, if you’re not bought in, the rest is a moot point.

I highly suggest you capture it in a file on your computer, write it on paper, or place it in a personal space where you will see it every day. Because seeing your goals on paper, having a go to file, or verbalizing them, versus keeping them in your head, brings them to life. It can take a task from feeling completely intimidating to being realistic and doable.

In other words, it takes some of the mental intimidation and fear out of the process. It also helps you think through what you’re going after. And it ensures that you are clear about what you want.  It requires that you get intentional.

I also recommend sharing your written goals with someone you trust and value. Because having a second set of eyes and an objective perspective can make a huge difference in making sure you are clear on what you want to achieve. And you may be pleasantly surprised to find an advocate, supporter, or just someone willing to lend an ear and offer words of encouragement when you need it.

Next, we’re going to talk about getting clarity! It’s critical to get clear on your goal. And I’ve found one of the easiest and simplest ways to do that is by using the SMART TECHNIQUE. It helps you work out the details of your goals.

The SMART acronym stands for…
• SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, REALISTIC, TIME SENSITIVE

The probability of you achieving your goal increases significantly if it is clearly defined.
For example, maybe your goal is to start your own business. That’s fine and good. But as stated, the goal is generic, vague, and ambiguous. It doesn’t describe what you’re going after. It doesn’t give the details. And the details bring it to life.

So, let’s look at it differently and apply the SMART principle. Instead of saying you want to start a business, let’s state the goal with more specificity. The revised goal may read “by the end of 2019, you want to launch your first online product-based business and earn at least 5-figures in revenue.” Now that’s specific, measurable, and time-sensitive.

But the next thing you have to evaluate for yourself is whether it’s achievable and realistic. And it’s difficult to do that until you start to create your road map. The road map helps you to write down and visualize the steps it will take to achieve the goal. It’s almost like you’re reverse engineering your outcome.

This way if you start with the end in mind, you can then brainstorm the key steps that need to happen to see it to fruition. That may include some very tactical action items, as well as those that may require more strategic thought.

As you’re creating your road map and determining whether it’s achievable and realistic, remember that it must be possible for you to achieve your goal. Think about what is critical or what is required to accomplish it. What is the time investment? What funding is needed? Do you have access to it? If not, how will you secure it? Are there specific technologies and systems will you need to support your business?

Next, determine if it’s realistic.

Let’s use the previous example of starting your own business. If your goal is to launch it by the end of the year, and you already have a full-time job, then maybe the time aspect is unrealistic. But that doesn’t mean give up. Perhaps you need to adjust your expectations and timing. Maybe you extend your timeline to give yourself the advantage of doing the background work and creating your road map.

Let’s assume a separate career example. What if your goal is to get promoted at your current employer? Again, this is an admirable goal, but it’s not very specific. Do you want to get promoted tomorrow, in 5 years, to what job, etc.? Maybe we redefine it.

Now, your goal is to earn a promotion to a finance manager position with P&L responsibility in the next 12 months. That is very clear. And you can even get more specific with location, salary requirements, and benefits.

The point is that you have something concrete and specific to go after.

In determining if it’s achievable and realistic, consider if specific assignments, previous experience, or certifications are needed. Would you need to be open to relocation to be considered for the opportunity? And if it requires expertise in specific skills, do you have them? If not, what is your plan to build and develop them?

Next, I’m going to share an example of an entrepreneur who was a service provider.

The company was established. But like many business owners, they were at a point where they were ready to expand their client base and grow their revenue. Their revenue and income had been relatively consistent over the past few years. They weren’t losing money. They were in the positive. But their revenue had become stagnant.

Based on their business trends, capabilities, and service offerings, they could achieve a higher rate of growth. They were currently offering one primary service, but they had the capability to expand and diversify. They were underutilizing their intellectual property and assets.

The solution was going to require a shift in their goals and a keen focus on strategy (not tactics). Their new aspirational goal was to deliver a 40% increase in revenue in 12 months. Their strategy was to increase their client base and their revenue dollars per client. They would accomplish this by expanding their portfolio offerings, launching their first digital option, and creating a “gateway” premium program with a higher level of customization and service.

And as you would expect, the next big follow up was creating their road map and details to get them to the finish line. They created a step-by-step plan. We continually asked “what would have to be true to achieve the goal”.  What would have to be true to increase their client base? For example, new offerings, a revamped marketing strategy, a differentiated visibility strategy, new branding, etc.

Ultimately, we reverse-engineered the outcome for each component of their strategy, so that we had a plan to hit our targets.

I hope these examples provide some clarity as to why it’s so important to get specific on what you’re going after (THE GOAL). And why it’s critical to identify the steps you need to consider (YOUR ROAD MAP) to get to the finish line.

The purpose of thinking through these things is not to discourage or overwhelm you.

The purpose is to get you thinking through the details to achieve your goal. It’s to anticipate the challenges and roadblocks. It’s to ensure you are prepared and positioned to tackle those challenges successfully.

Let’s face it, the likelihood of everything going as planned, when you’re going after a goal, is slim to none. It’s the ambiguity, the unknown, the questions you didn’t take the time to answer that will derail you quicker than anything. But if you anticipate them, work through scenarios as to how to overcome them, I promise you’ll be more than equipped to get past them and move forward. You will have the information you need to make sound decisions.

You want to stack the deck in your favor. You want to increase your chances of getting to yes and achieving your goals. If you take the time to do that, you’ll have a much higher likelihood of succeeding.

And that’s the point!

Here’s the challenge I have for you.

What is that audacious goal that you keep coming back to and never goes away?

What is that game-changing goal, that if you achieved it, would put you, your career, or your business on a different trajectory?

And what would have to be true for you to achieve it?

1. Capture your goal in a file, in writing, or in a place that is highly visible to you
2. Assess it through the SMART TECHNIQUE
3. Create your road map
4. Build a support network
5. Put persistent action every day against working your goal (no matter how small)
6. Be accountable

And if you do this, the universe will conspire to make it happen.

Because the universe works with a made-up mind.

1. If you are ready to transform your business, accelerate your career, or develop high-performance talent, visit the contact page to schedule a strategy session.

2. To join our community, you can subscribe to the email list, access the “Rule of Three” blog, or listen to the “Rule of Three” podcast. This is where I share insights, strategies, and solutions to help you in your journey.