Deciding What You Want For Your Future

It is almost a guarantee that if you ask someone what they don't want to do, they are equipped with a healthy list that they take great pride in. These are their boundaries, rules, and pre-requisites they have set between them and the world. From intimate relationships to career goals, the "don't want" list is very specific. This makes you feel like the King or Queen of your "Want-Not" Dynasty. However, ask someone what they want and most of us have no idea at all or mentions something that is so broad in scope that it has just become a conversation-filler and means nothing really. It just ends up sounding great or at least we think that it does.

If someone had asked about my future plans, I would say that I wanted to start my own business. Sounds good, doesn't it? I was hoping that no one would ask me anything else because I did not have much to say after that. Of course I want to start my own business, but what kind? and when? Well, for your information, that was fluid. I thought maybe "sometime" in the future, closer to the present but definitely before my 50th birthday but that date may change. I was absolutely serious about this. Of course it sounded like a load of crap because it was.

Strange things happen when you step in your load of crap too many times. You find that you stink. You don't reek because you desire a better, more fulfilling life; you actually carry the stench of a person who talks a good game. First, I had a really stern conversation with myself. The topic of the conversation was whether or not I was going to do this "business" thing. If not, it was time to let it go and never say anything about it again. Why? Mainly because when you plan to do something in life, it seems to hang over your head, crowd your thoughts and remind you that you gave up. This makes it very difficult to possibly seek out other passions and cultivate new plans. I didn't stick a fork in it. I was not done. Whether or not I had decided on starting a business, I had now made a decision and I was proud and felt like I had accomplished something already.

Now, since my answer was yes, it was now time to figure out what I wanted to do. "I want to start a business" is too broad of a statement. Looking at my current skills and experience, my hobbies, and my financial situation, I came up with ideas in which some had to be scrapped but they were on the list and the list was coming along. There was lots of research, phone calls from MLM marketing people and trips to the edge (of course because I was frustrated and ready to jump). And soon there was still no business model or idea in place but I was proud because I was working on it. The list was proof and a step in the direction of what I said I wanted.

Finally I had decided. Then, decided against it. Then I decided that deciding against it was ludicrous. I am a religious woman so my final decision was based on a gift that I was born with. This seemed like something that was valuable and profound. Doing what comes natural to me made sense. Your decision may be based on some other external or internal force but you will have to decide, if you haven't already.

The hard part is over. Not really, but you can continue the journey at this point. You have either moved on to something new or revived the old and dusty. Now, what does it take to accomplish your goals? Just "not knowing" is unacceptable. Go find out. What will you have to do? What can you do now? What will have to wait? What time frame are you working with between starting, achieving and maintaining? As for me, I had to hold on to the corporate job in order to pay current bills. Leaving the workforce behind had to wait. However, I decided that I could order business card, build my own website, and network to get business. I launched my website the same day my business cards were delivered. I didn't plan it that way but it happened that way. This was a great day. In the meantime, I wrote a short business plan and other marketing materials. Of course my business is not at Microsoft status as of yet but it has been started after 10 years of flapping my gums. I am sure with billions less, I will still feel as rich as Mr. Gates soon enough.

It is equally important to know what you want and don't want. This is something that another person can't assist you with. People, especially loved ones, always want what is best and will have their idea of what is best, and their opinion counts because they love you but it is not the final decision. That is yours to make. After you know, now it is time to act. Don't worry about having to rethink, revise or revamp because any move in the right direction is honorable and you should feel proud of every minute you spend working towards a better future.