Do you ever wake up in the morning when the alarm goes off and hit snooze? Do you ever wake up and sigh, thinking I really can’t beer bothered, then turn over and go back to sleep? Whatever you have planned can wait. Just another five minutes; another half an hour. You really need more sleep.
You are not alone, but I’ll let you into a secret. If you wait until the alarm goes off to fight, then it’s too late and you’re never going to win.
When I need to get up early to exercise or go somewhere I always prepare the night before. I always go to sleep imagining myself getting up and loving it. Remembering the great and exciting reason why I’m doing it. I always visualise being excited and hungry for whatever I’m getting up for. That way when I wake up, I actually want to get up. I’m excited and interested in doing what I’m getting up for, so it’s easy to get up. Sleep seems less of a pull. It’s no longer more important the reason I’m getting up.
Getting up and getting at it is the priority, so that’s what happens.
The rest of life is exactly like this too. Often in life opportunities come along when we least expect them and we’re busy doing something else. Something else seems more important. Something else which is easier takes our time and we let the opportunity pass us by.
“Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.”
Ann Landers
Like getting up, opportunities don’t have to pass you by. You can be ready and waiting to grab them with both hands when they arrive. You can be on the look out for them and recognise them when they appear.
“Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them.”
William Arthur Ward
Take some time to think about the opportunities you’re expecting. Think about what you want to happen in your career, in your life. What is your idea of success? What does that opportunity look like? Imagine yourself already in that place, grabbing the chance when it arrives. Imagine yourself taking the opportunity. The excitement and emotion it brings when you do. Then like getting out of bed, you won’t be distracted by the easy, comfortable path, you’ll be ready and waiting and leaping at the moment when you see it.
Start now. Spend 5 minutes right now and visualise the opportunities you want. Experience how it feels; how you will respond; how it will play out to success. Keep doing it on a daily basis and you’ll be surprised how far you’ve travelled in the next 30 days!
Let us know how you get on in the comments below.