Is “When” a limiting word?
“When” is a clarifying word for time, but is it limiting?
Framing the future
We are often guided to clarify our future and our goals and “when?” is usually part of this framework. While it is useful to allow us to plan so that we work towards something that perhaps is not yet in reach, I have often wondered if this sets us up for success or makes us complacent. Does it provide us with clarity for what we want to achieve or does it only give us opportunities to pull out?
I absolutely set dates for the future, in fact, I set things out for as far out as eight years or even well beyond that. However, I think this sometimes create a state where everything is set out for that future timeline and in between, well, nothing happens.
Allow me to share a couple of examples here:
Scenario #1. When I make $1Million I will do what you do and dedicate $$ to charity
Scenario #2. When I sell a book, I will donate $5 to XYZ charity.
Scenario #3. When I become a professional player, I will dedicate time to support those who have not had the opportunities that I have had.
Scenario #4. When I am a manager, I will lead differently.
These are future-focused and have commitments attached to them. In fact you can go as far as saying that they are clear with great intentions, reflective of community and service. These are the type of examples I hear daily from people who are thinking about how they can make a difference and I love it all because it means that they are pausing and thinking beyond themselves.
But is this genuinely thinking in ways that equip us to achieve what we intend to do? Is it the most effective thought process?
Consider a deeper way of thinking.
I recently asked my clients, to clarify what is is that they are really trying to achieve. With each response, they have all identified that they want to make a difference. They feel like there is more to life than what they are doing.
I am sure that you too feel like this. You have this urge to contribute and be part of something bigger. I get that, and the world as a whole is recognising this so much so that I am constantly contacted and approached by people across the globe.
My question often is: so what is stopping you now?
This usually elicits various responses, often excuses. What I have since discovered though is that my clients often come back having reflected deeply with a different response from their initial reaction.
I share this with you so that you too begin to recognise the impact of the choice of “when” and the role it plays in determining how you contribute and the belief system that is attached to “When”.
This is about us being conscious of our choices and being intentional with what we are really saying from a heightened sense of self.
Changing your perspective.
“When”, in these situations, is placing reliance on an external outcome that occur within a 30 to 50-year timeframe if it happens at all. As a result, there is no risk to you and you can always justify why it does not come to fruition.
As I share this with my clients, they usually begin to recognise their intentions, their beliefs, and their actions. Framing the way in which we look at what we say and what we mean are key aspects to our personal and collective development.
I often ask “what are you prepared to do to achieve what you say is the end objective?” With this lack of conscious alignement, what priority does it hold in what you do in comparison to who you say you are? Our awareness, with the depth of consciousness, is not something we practise as it is not at the top of our mind, nor is it something that has been taught, trained, or discussed.
But here we are, raising awareness.
Conscious Awareness distils clarity
Often, when we come to this realisation, there is an adjustment in reflection. The awareness of making a decision based on “when” can be seen as minimising risk, all of which I am for. In fact, “risk” is a key factor in most of the work I do, because without it we risk creating the security without which our well-being, mental health, and financial situations will erode.
Where is the balance? And how do we move forward with the intention in which we see the person we have chosen to become?
I asked this question recently to some of my clients, and I can share that in each situation they all realigned their perspective of the future “when” to “now”.
In each case, they began a new pathway to act today so that, as they got closer to their “when” scenario, the foundations had already been created. Their realisation of always basing what they can do on an external factor changed to deliberately making a commitment to focus on what they could to today.
This was important to them and part of who they had chosen to become rather than waiting for the future, to be the person who they knew they already were now.
Living Life Intentionally Conscious
Being prepared to commit today to something that you feel is important to you is about you stepping into your future self rather than waiting for when something, or someone else happens. This is how we live life to the fullest rather than in hope of what might be.
It is about being prepared to take the risk today and forge forward. This is leading from the front and being prepared to try things, yes perhaps fail, but to get up and try again because the very thing you have said was so important to you is not left for destiny, but you hold within you.
“WHEN” begins today and you have the ability to choose to become the person you are here to be.