Top Management Story

Writen by Alicia Smith

When you're starting a business, you might wish for a lot of things, like having more than enough customers or not having to do marketing. But wishing is weak willed, having no momentum behind it. When you wish for something, you're not coming from a place of having a strong vision. Instead, wishes tend to be dreamlike, wispy and not grounded. Wishes are future oriented.

To run a business, you need to be intentional, focused and highly aware of the present for it is only from the present that you can make things happen. While wishing is fine, your wishes need to be converted into a vision, which represents what you want most. From there you can craft goals and a strategy to reach those goals. Your strategy should be broken down into easily doable, action steps.

Action is key to getting what you want for your business. Translating a wish into a vision is the first step to creating the momentum to move forward. What are some of the weaknesses around wishing?

1. It hooks you to the future. One of the biggest dangers of wishing is that it ties you to an uncertain future. Wishing takes you out of the present moment and puts you 10 steps ahead of where you should be. Unfortunately the only place you can make changes is in the now. Instead of investing your time and energy wishing about what you want for the future, invest in today by taking action that can create that future.

2. Not intentional. Wishing finds itself in the realm of dreams. Wishes are wispy and aren't grounded on the solid foundation of a vision. An intention on the other hand is a definitive thought or statement that says exactly what you want to accomplish. The energy around wishes tends to be ephemeral, like clouds through which you can pass your hand. Intentions, on the other hand, are focused energy. Think about how you feel when you say you are "wishing" for something. Then, try out the statement "I intend" followed by something you want to accomplish. Notice how you feel about the energy around each of these statements.

3. Not specific. Our thoughts are powerful. What we put our minds on and the thoughts we think play a significant role in what we manifest in our lives and in our businesses. Wishes tend to be dreamy and ill defined. This lack of specificity can lead you to manifesting the same. If you want to custom create your future, your thoughts must be intentional. They must be focused, clearly articulated, and very specific about the outcomes.

4. Waste of time. Wishing for things is really not the best use of your time. Wishes are like playing "what if" games – entertaining, but lacking in value. Wishing for more customers is a waste of your time and energy. But getting on the phone and cold calling prospects or sending out letters of introduction is intentional. They are clearly defined, focused steps that you can take to make things happen. Stop wishing and start doing.

5. Keeps you in the comfort zone. Because wishes are weak-willed and ill defined and because wishing is associated with dreaming, no action is implied on your part. It's just a time for mental machinations, a time to lay back to wish and wonder. Nothing gets accomplished that way. You don't have to grow or learn new things or step out of your comfort zone. Thinking intentional thoughts about what you want to accomplish requires action. Wishes accomplish nothing; intentions move you forward to accomplish your goals.

6. No momentum. The energy behind wishing is weak at best. While this activity is pleasurable to most people and we all enjoy engaging in it from time to time, wishes are the comfort food of folks who are afraid to step up to play a larger game. Intentions, on the other hand, call you to take action, to step up to being more, which will result in having more. And, when you're in action, it's easier to stay in action.

7. It can be depressing. Because wishing is not rooted in clarity and because it doesn't require any action on your part, it can often lead to feelings of sadness or malaise. There is no movement forward. There is no vision of a different outcome because wishing requires no change from where you currently find yourself. It's like always being on the outside, looking in. It's about hoping and wanting, but not having the energy to open the door to new opportunities.

8. It can lead to negative self-talk. Wishing behavior can also lead to negative self-talk. One is always wanting and hoping for things and situations, but they will forever remain outside of one's grasp because no action will ever be taken. Because wishing is a pure mental process, requiring that nothing be changed, it is an exercise in futility. You will never get what you want. This can actually lead to being caught in a downward spiral of negative thought. One might start feeling they aren't good enough or deserving enough to have something, when the fact is, they could have everything, if only they focused their thoughts and took action.

9. It can keep you stuck. Stuck is the only place you will find yourself if wishing is your modus operandi. Wishing is a mental activity that leads nowhere. Intentional thinking is a mental activity, grounded in focused thoughts, and coupled with action that leads to results. Stuck or unstuck? The choice is yours.

10. It's frustrating. Wishing is extremely frustrating because it won't ever lead to different outcomes. Nothing will ever come of it. Circumstances will never change. Nothing can ever be improved. One could not help but be frustrated when they will never realize what their heart most desires. Change your thoughts. Be more intentional. Take action. This is the quickest route to success and happiness.

© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith

Alicia Smith, a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping people Make Money Now. This article is derived from just one of the 26 lessons contained in her audio program, Marketing Marathon Blunders From A – Z. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com or http://www.AliciaSmith.com. You can also email her at alicia@aliciasmith.com