Are you getting everything you want in life?  Are you exactly where you always imagined you would be?  If you are like most men and women out there I am willing to guess the answer is, “NO”.  Unfortunately way to many individuals fail to get what they want out of life because they never take the time to first determine what they want out of life.

I want to invite you to join me in an extremely simple yet effective exercise.  This is something that was first shared with me by a great mentor of mine, Ron Reynolds.  Ron is one of the wisest men I have ever met.  I was not personally convinced this exercise was effective, but since Ron had the “fruit on the tree” in many areas of his life I was willing to try this.

Are you ready for it?  Here it is.  Take a sheet of paper and write a vertical line down the middle of it.  On the left hand side write “Get Rid Of” at the top of the column.  On the right hand side write “Want” at the top of the column.  Then go ahead and set 15 minutes aside and begin writing everything that comes to mind.  On the left hand side I want you to list ALL OF THE THINGS you currently have in your life that you no longer want.  On the right hand side I want you to list ALL OF THE THINGS in your life that you want but don’t currently have.  Think about EVERYTHING.  Think about all five areas of Faith, Family, Friends, Finances, & Fitness.

You cannot hit a target that doesn’t exist

Let your imagination run free.  As you begin to think of ideas and envision what life will be like your mind will begin to think of other items for the list.  There are not right or wrong answers here.  You do not even have to share it with anyone else if you do not want to (although that would be a great idea).

Once you have written your list place it somewhere you will see it every day.  Then be sure to read it at least three different times throughout the day.  Every time you do I want you to imagine the future where you have checked everything off the list.

I did this exercise three years ago.  Now I have not checked everything off my list yet, but I am making great progress.  In the area of finances I have blown past several goals we had.  On my “Get Rid Of” list I have checked off 9 out of the 13 items I had listed.  On my “Want” list I have checked off 9 out of the 17 items.  The only reason I have not checked off more on that list is because I decided a year later to temporarily walk away from coaching to focus on our family’s future.

Here are just a few of the items I have checked off the list the past three years:

“Get Rid Of” List

Financial Stress

Inability To Provide For Beth

Credit Card Debt

Unattractive personality traits

“Want” List

Children

3 Months Living Expenses In Savings

Tithe $2,000/month

Humility

Gentleness

Happy Marriage

Those are just a few items I have crossed off the list the past three years.  We are now in the process of dreaming even bigger and thinking forward several generations about the legacy we want to live.  I encourage you to take this simple challenge that could profoundly impact your future.  What if you took the few minutes right now to write out both of your lists and you looked up two or three years from now and checked several items off your list?  Would it be worth it?

Question: What are one major item on your “Get Rid Of” list and one major item on your “Want” list?  Comment below