Disruption Follows Intention

Whenever you set a goal or intention, it gets painfully obvious how far you are from reaching it. This dynamic is inherent in the act of goal-setting. For most people, this is a curse. But for you, it can be a blessing - here's why:

In the very moment you state your intention to achieve a goal, you are exposed to the pain of acknowledging the gap between your current situation and your desired outcome. This dynamic provides a test of your character, because most people will choose to give up on their goal to relieve the pain.

The classic example is someone who wants to get in good shape. By admitting that to themselves, they have stated a desired outcome, an ideal situation. The problem is that they have now created a gap between expectations and reality. Since they have created an ideal to compare themselves against, it gets extremely clear how out-of-shape they currently are.

The pain of comparison nudges them into a bad emotional state. They're now feeling even worse about themselves and the fastest way to relieve the pain is the age-old statement: "I didn't want it anyway". They have now killed their own ideal, and by doing so, closed the gap between their current state and their expectations for the future. Problem solved.

How do you break out of this pattern, and finally achieve the things you want?

A common strategy is powering through using guilt, fear and rage as fuel. I wouldn't recommend it though, because there's a better way.

The Feeling of The Wish Fulfilled

The way to circumvent this dynamic is two-fold.

First, accept your starting point fully while giving yourself praise for having the courage to commit to an ambitious goal.

Then, you practice feeling what it's like to have achieved your goal. Practice living in that feeling as much as possible, so much that it becomes second nature.

This is the core teaching of many of our most prominent spiritual leaders, and it's based on The Law of Assumption. You simply assume that your goal is already achieved, you just haven't seen material proof of it yet. Neville Goddard called it "the feeling of the wish fulfilled".

In a practical sense, feeling what it's like to have achieved your goal is an exercise in identity shifting, becoming the person who is able to achieve it.

Instead of feeling the pain of the gap between your present circumstances and your future goals, you'll be able to inhabit the emotional state of already having achieved your goal.

This will enable you to act more resourcefully from a place of fulfillment and gratitude, instead of fear, frustration and scarcity.

Like any other skill, living in this emotional state requires practice and repetition, so don't give up if you find yourself slipping back into unresourceful emotional states.

Every time you bring yourself back to the feeling of the wish fulfilled, you're strengthening your spiritual skills. This is why it's called spiritual practice.

What would it feel like to have your wish fulfilled?