You want to be successful, but you’re not sure how. You know what you want, but you don’t know how to get there.
It can be hard to stay motivated when you don’t know where to start or the next step.
The keys to success are authenticity and alignment. When these two things come together, there is no stopping the journey. It’s a journey that will lead to reaching success. It’s not enough to know what you want. You need to work hard towards it. To find out more about this process, read on. You’ll be glad you did! There’s no time like the present!
Key Points
- The easiest way to get from “stuck” to doing something is to be authentic and align with your authenticity.
- Authenticity means that you are in touch with your inner self.
- Alignment means that your whole self is in sync with the goal you want to achieve.
- Being minfully aware can help you cultivate your autheticity and alignment.
Struggling to Achieve
Have you ever felt as though you were banging your head against a brick wall? Repeatedly trying to reach a goal, but you just can’t seem to achieve it. Instead, you’re struggling rather than moving forward and achieving your goals with grace and ease.
You’re not the only one who feels this way. Unfortunately, many people struggle to move from what they don’t want to what they do want. You might not believe it, but it is pervasive for people to fight against what they want and stop their own good. Ending the fight and taking action are the only ways to get what you want in life. Your success depends on how well you can reach your goals and achieve them.
Keys to Success: Being Authentic and Aligned
The easiest way to get from “stuck” to doing something is to be authentic and align with your authenticity.
Authenticity means that you are in touch with your inner self. Call it your soul, your true nature, whatever. And that your wants are an authentic representation of your inner self and soul.
Alignment means that your whole self is in sync with the goal you want to achieve. For example, suppose you get home from work one evening exhausted and want to sleep. Tonight is also your workout night. You’re sitting on the sofa, trying to get yourself to get dressed and go to the gym. Alignment is what you did when you told a part of yourself to go to the gym when you wanted to remain at home. Even though you were tired, you got yourself aligned with the notion and goal of going to the gym.
To end your struggle and achieve your goals, all parts of you must work together. That means that all bodies, mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual, must agree on a goal. It’s not possible to have doubts or attachments.
How to Be Authentic and Aligned for Success
The following is a 6-step process you can use to ensure that your goals are realistic and that you are authentically aligned with your goals.
Step One: Sit down and create a tranquil, serene, and caring environment for yourself. Make sure it’s a comfortable and safe environment for you. Then, take some quiet time to mindfully reflect on your goals. Keep paper and a pen handy.
Step Two: Reflect on what you want and make a list of what’s most important to you. If there were no obstacles, what would your ideal life look like? What would your ideal day consist of? Make a list as detailed as possible.
Ask yourself if this goal is the best one for you to work on right now. Yes? Then go to the next step. If the answer is no, ask what a better goal would be right now.
What happens if you ask this question? You move from being ruled by the needs of your mind (survival issues) and start to access the soul inside of you. When you let go of your ego’s small desires, you can move on to realizing the desires of your soul, too. Your goals become more authentic and genuine because of this.
Write down the answer you get. If you need more information about the answer, ask for it. You should keep asking inside until you feel complete.
As you mindfully reflect:
1) Figure out what your inner self and soul want. You must be in touch with the voice of your authentic self and listen to it carefully. Nobody can tell you what you truly desire, so seeking guidance from others will not lead to success. Only you can listen to your inner voice. It may be difficult, but don’t overthink it. The more you do that, the greater the chance is that you will end up spinning your wheels and leading yourself down the wrong path.
2) Figure out what your mind wants or doesn’t want. Perhaps it’s not in sync with your inner self and soul. Before you can let your mind know that it aligns with what you want, you must be aware of what it’s telling you. Your emotions will influence the messages your mind relays to you. Tune in to all of them carefully so that they are clearly understood by yourself.
3) Figure out how your spirit feels about your goal. Does it want something else, or does it desire a new goal altogether? Be aware of the signals that are being emitted from each body part.
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Step Three: Examine your list and put an “X” next to those goals that are really important to you. Circle the ones that have the highest priority. Once this is done, write a list of actions under each goal. This is so you know what needs to be accomplished for your dream to come true.
Once you discern what you believe in, communicate to all bodies, your mind, body, emotions. How does a person who has that goal think? How does he feel physically? Emotionally? If there’s a conflict with any of the entities, note it. Be mindful of it. Make a choice about which way you want to proceed to be in alignment with your entire self. Keep in mind that it must benefit your whole being-body, mind, emotion, and spirit.
You want to make sure everything is in place. When you have a clear and honest goal in mind, it’s time to make things work together. Ask your mental body to speak to you while you stay in your place of quiet and comfort. Repeat this step for each of the bodies. Then, ask your mental body if it is willing to work with you to achieve your goal. The aim of this question is to find out if there are any mental blocks or limitations to the goal. There are three bodies: physical, spiritual, and emotional. If the answer is yes, go to the following body.
If the answer is no, you can start a conversation with this part of you right away. Why aren’t you willing to work toward this goal? To be in line with this goal, what must you do? People may be afraid or insecure when they don’t want to align with their actual goals. Help the part understand that it’s safe, that it’s been taken care of, and there’s nothing to be afraid of. As simple as that, have a mindful conversation with the part and tell it the truth. To thank the bodies after you get their permission for this goal to come true, say “thank you.” Affirm that you agree with this goal and want to make it happen.
Step Four: Visualize yourself reaching your goals daily! The more often you visualize success, the more you are programming your mind to give power to those thoughts. You will start to believe that they can become true.
Step Five: Take action! Visualizing is not enough-you must act towards your goal to come to fruition. But, focusing all your daily efforts on one main goal may seem complicated and overwhelming. Use your imagination to develop ways you can make progress towards your goal.
For example, let’s say one of your goals is to become a better public speaker by getting over public speaking anxiety. Acting now can involve doing something as simple as practicing your skills in front of a mirror. Or it could be participating in activities relating to what you want, like joining a group like Toastmasters or some other low-risk place to speak in front of others.
Step Six: Re-evaluate your goals. Once you’ve reached a goal, it’s time to celebrate. Also, take the time to check whether this is really what you still want. The best way to do this is to mindfully reflect on how much you enjoy your new situation, having achieved your goal. Ask yourself if it leads to something bigger than what you originally wanted.
By finishing this process, you have set an authentic goal and aligned your whole self with this goal. There are no more blocks in your way now, so you can move forward without any trouble. Success will be yours, and you will get it.
“Good questions outrank easy answers.” – Paul A. Samuelson (American economist)
- Why do you think alignment and authenticity are so important to success?
- How can you tell if you’re out of alignment or not living authentically?
- What are some signs that you’re inauthentic?
- How do you make sure that your actions are aligned with your values?
- Can you thnk of a time when you were successful because you were authentic and aligned?
Want more? Get the free guide “Quiet Confidence: A Men’s Guide to Living a Free, Authentic, Joyful, Centered, & Purposeful Life“
This workbook will introduce mindfulness as a foundation for living a more deliberate, authentic, purposeful life of peace, freedom, health, and fulfillment.
