For some time now, I’ve been wrestling, exploring, surrendering and accepting what it is that I want to do for work with what shows up at my doorstep.  Every Monday morning, three coaches from across the U.S. and I explore various book subjects and discuss how to apply them to our lives.  Currently we are in the middle of “Return to Love” by Marianne Williamson.  The section we focused on today was “Work” which has turned out to be a perfect response for my fear that unless I try to control every little piece of having the business or career of my dreams, then I won’t get to have it.  

My need to be in control directly interferes with my understanding of how to set specific goals that I’d like to accomplish for my business.

(For those that may struggle with the word, “God”, please consider thinking of it as an acronym for “Good Orderly Direction”).

Marianne says, “Another problem with setting specific goals is that they can be limiting. Perhaps we’re asking for something good, when God’s will was that we be given something great.  Our looking over God’s shoulder only interferes with His capacity to make us happy. Once we truly understand that God’s will is that we be happy, we no longer feel the need to ask for anything other than God’s will be done.”  After further discussion she goes on to say, “Let us remember that our happiness and function are one”.

I found it helpful to distinguish setting specific goals by looking at the difference between setting specific goals from our mind and setting specific goals from our heart.  I believe when we set specific goals just using our mind without engaging our heart than we are attempting to take control of the outcome.  Furthermore, when we set specific goals just using our hearts, we miss the opportunity to use the wisdom we have honed from our vast resources of experiences, talents, skills and education to help actualize what our heart feels.  The trick is to utilize both our mind and heart to set a goal, be willing to do the best we can in any given moment and to let go of the outcome. 

So, today when you are setting your specific goals for your business consider asking yourself the following:

1)      What signals am I receiving from my thoughts and my feelings right now as I write down this goal?

2)      Do I feel good about this goal or does it feel like something I would prefer not to do?

3)      In the grand scheme of things, will this goal impact others and if so, will it be helpful to them?

Turns out the Beatles might have had it right all along, “All we need is love”.