Do you have something you want to achieve, an experience you desire, or other good intentions, but find yourself never getting there? Do you find yourself quickly frustrated and wanting to give up? Why is it that you can want something strongly, yet find yourself doing other things instead? In this brief article, we’ll explore a powerful strategy to move you forward to your goals and dreams.

Ambivalence about change is common. On the one hand, you may think you want certain things that you don’t have, and, on the other hand, you may have a “comfort zone” doing what we’re doing right now. What you are currently doing is comfortable because it’s known and predictable. Change is exciting and scary. Because of that, you may be afraid to get out and try something new. To overcome fear, you’re going to need a good strategy. Using the strategy we’re about to discuss, it’s possible that change may be a whole lot less scary than you think.

This strategy is suggested by Motivational Interviewing (first described by Professor William R. Miller, Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychotherapy, 1983), a technique that is gaining credibility in counseling professions. While it’s been traditional to try to motivate people to change by giving them good reasons, Motivational Interviewing is about asking questions to help people discover their own wisdom. It respects the fact that people are always doing the best they can given their current level of awareness.

Most importantly, Motivational Interviewing gives voice to people’s own reasons for change. It ties the need to change with something they care about. These personal reasons are made conscious and internalized rather forced from the outside through coercion, persuasion, or convincing-which generally doesn’t work anyway.

For example, instead of telling someone who is addicted to alcohol all the facts about how “alcoholism” is a disease that is destroying their mind, their health, and their relationships, Motivational Interviewing asks that person what they want in life and how they envision possible ways to get there. It asks a series of questions that uncovers a person’s natural drive and helps them see for themselves what they are doing now and how that fits or doesn’t fit with what they truly want.

From that strong foundation, questions follow to find alternative actions that better fit what they truly desire. The same technique can be used to help people discover their motivation for doing physical therapy after surgery, losing weight, studying for a big test, training for a new career, or building a new business. While this technique is most often used in counseling environments, you can apply it to yourself to get moving in the direction of your goals and dreams.

Here are 10 questions you can ask yourself to succeed in what you truly desire:

1. What is it that I really want to have, be, or do? Not what I think I “should do” or “have to do,” but what experience do I truly desire? Another way to phrase this is “What is most important to me?”

2. How will I know that I have attained what I desire? What concrete evidence will I have?

3. What counter desire do I have that works against that important desire?

4. What is more important to me, 1 or 3? Can I have both? Could that work? If so, how? If not, what do I choose?

5. What other challenges do I foresee that could keep me from achieving what I truly desire?

6. What are several ways that I could meet those challenges? What is the easiest way and what is the most outrageous?

7. What small step could I take right now to move me toward what I most desire?

8. What are two other steps between that first step and what I most desire?

9. When could I take that first step?

10. What could I do if that step or any other step doesn’t work for me?

These 10 questions recognize that ambivalence, resistance, and challenges are natural and important to face when you want to achieve something. They give you permission to brainstorm a variety of possible solutions and choose an option that you feel would work best for you. Then they encourage you to take one small step, followed by another and another. Finally, they acknowledge that not everything you try is going to work right away, so it’s okay and important to try again and/or modify your approach if you gain more insight about what might work better.

Most importantly, these questions encourage you to take an experimental approach to life so that you feel free to try new things, see what works and what doesn’t, and make adjustments according to what really fits with what is most important to you.

Are you ready to go to the next level of success? To learn how to manifest what you truly desire be sure to visit us here.
Kevin Schoeninger graduated from Villanova University in 1986 with a Master\’s Degree in Philosophy. He is certified as a Life Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, Qigong Meditation Instructor, and Personal Fitness Trainer.

Are you ready to go the next level of success? To learn how to manifest what you truly desire, be sure to visit us here:
http://www.thelifeyouaremeanttolive.com

Author Bio: Are you ready to go to the next level of success? To learn how to manifest what you truly desire be sure to visit us here.
Kevin Schoeninger graduated from Villanova University in 1986 with a Master\’s Degree in Philosophy. He is certified as a Life Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, Qigong Meditation Instructor, and Personal Fitness Trainer.

Category: Self Help
Keywords: success, steps to success, achieve your goals, success strategies, tips for success, goal-setting