Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement. -W. Clement Stone
Imagine, if you will, that you’re about to embark on a long trip. Maybe it’s a drive across the country; maybe it’s a tour of the grand capitols of Western Europe; maybe it a sabbatic leave in the South Pacific.
Now, imagine imagining that trip; imagining that destination; picturing yourself walking down the cobblestone streets, climbing the Eiffel Tower, taking long strolls down those beautiful white sandy beaches.
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Where did it begin?
Maybe you saw it in the travel section of the Sunday paper. Maybe you saw an ad in the window of a travel agency. Maybe it popped up on Facebook. But somewhere you saw an image, a description, a picture. Maybe it was just in your mind!
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And you imagined yourself… there.
Then maybe you Googled a bit; popped onto Trip Advisor; or maybe you ran out to the bookstore for a Fodor’s or Lonely Planet Guide.
You got out some maps; went to the AAA; began to lay out the route.
If it’s a drive, you plotted your course, planned your stops, booked your overnights. You know where you’re going and what you want to see.
The car’s been tuned, the oil changed, the radiator checked.
On your GPS, you’ve locked in your waypoints. Your destination certain.
You’re good to go.
If you’re flying or cruising, you’ve bought the ticket. (It’s non-refundable.) You know where you’re landing; you know your ports of call. You’ve booked the hotels and reserved the excursions.
You know those little restaurants you want to visit, the museums you want to see, those sites and vistas you cannot miss.
You’ve got the clothes, the suntan lotion, the cameras, the cash, the credit cards, the traveler’s checks, the passport.
You’ve got it all laid out. It’s crystal clear.
You can’t wait.
Because, you can see yourself, so clearly… right there.
Now, imagine, if you will, that you’re about to embark on a long trip.
It’s called 2014.
Where will your imagination take you? And what exactly do you need to do to get there?
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Walt Hampton is a career and success coach. He is the best-selling author of Journeys on the Edge: Living a Life That Matters, recently named as one of the Top 10 Non-Fiction Books of 2013. He is also an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker. Visit his popular website at: www.walthampton.com
