Recession Proof 2011 beating “Mind Noise” and Self-Sabotaging Chatter. How do I turn down the volume on the noise in my mind so I can think clearly?
A TRUE STORY: MY OWN:
Turning down the mind noise volume during the rolling Recessions of the 1980′s was how I survived as an entrepreneur. Somehow I figured out how to breakdown my daily crisis as individual items. I’d see myself putting each item in a box with a lid, I’d put the boxes on a high shelf in my imaginary closet. After selecting one box, I’d see myself taking it down from the shelf, leaving the closet and closing the door. I’d deal with just that one problem, solve it to the best I could and go back to my imaginary closet and select the next most tricky problem and deal with that one. And so on through out the day. Eventually all the problems were solved, I remained fairly calm and in control most days AND my FEAR and CONFUSION did not usually take control.
WHAT DID I LEARN:
Confusion and noise comes from every corner of our lives and sits in the front of our minds as we try to make the best choices. Eliminating the noise comes from having specific goals and action plans.
So here is the secret about goals….most people expect one goal is all they need to make their life perfect. As soon as they reach that goal everything else will be perfect too. Not exactly how it works.
Here are 5 steps to GoalSMART thinking:
#1 Accept that you can only work on one goal at a time, unless you can delegate tasks
#2 Create the big vision picture for your life 5 years from now and hold the picture as a future goal to work towards, one step at a time. Make a vision board to hold the visual.
#3 Next divide your life into 8 categories, Career, Money, Family, Love and Relationship, Recreation, Health, Personal Growth, Physical Environment. Create a big picture vision in each of these categories for 6 months from now.
#4 Chose only one Category and focus on making the goal vision for that category a reality. It may take a day, a week , a month, 6 months.
#5 Create an action plan for that one goal and stick to it. Get rid of mind noise one category at a time, because when you divide yourself into to many pieces you will accomplish nothing of significance in any one area.
To feel serenity throughout the process, celebrate every small win and be kind to yourself….this is a learning experience not a race.
Note: The noise in all other areas will lessen as you complete each task in just one area. Believe it or not they are all connected.
A 2011 Gift from The Guardians, as given to Sue Rumack
