Looking back over my adult life, especially in the past few years, I've pulled off a few things that just didn't ever seem within reach. Mostly financial, to be fair, but I've come to see that the process has always been the same - and I believe can apply to any type of goal.
(One in the realm of theoretical possibility, that is. I'll never be a pilot as I'm never getting back to 20/20 vision. Well, some might think it's possible to heal one's eyesight if one just believes enough; I'm not there. Nor will I ever be a pro athlete or musician. I'm not going to pretend that literally anything is possible for anyone.)
So if you have big money goals, or other types of goals, here's my best advice:
Tap into your WHY
Money needs a purpose. What is yours? Connect with the reason you want this money and build a laser clear vision of that goal. What will you do with it once it arrives?
Decide that it's a done deal
There is a big difference between logically, cognitively knowing something vs deeply knowing and feeling it, all through your body and mind.
You need to be 100 percent behind it. Locked and loaded at a bone, soul, deep level - knowing this is happening. If you can't quite get behind it yet, adjust your goal to something that feels more aligned.
You can feel that perceptible shift once it actually happens. Let go of the doubts and embrace your new commitment, trusting that success is inevitable.
See it
You need proof that it's possible to keep you going. Find examples!
Treat envy as evidence. If it can be done by someone else, you can probably have it too. Maybe not in the exact same way, but in another shape or form.
Envy is often a signpost, signalling what you're capable of and haven't been tapping into.
Feel it
What if it was already yours?
Let that certainty and knowing spread throughout you, cascading into every cell and permeating every corner of your mind.
Imagine how great it would feel.
Imagine how that version of you would go about things - how they'd think and act.
Act!
Probably the part you've been waiting for, right? Stop dithering and take the damn action.
I recently took part in a money making challenge. In that time, I focused on income generating activities, like warm outreach to former clients, putting together proposals in response to project listings, and engaging in select Facebook groups (giving value while also communicating what I offered).
None of these actions yielded any direct results.
But suddenly things picked up pace elsewhere. Referrals started coming in fast - and for bigger pieces of work with awesome clients.
The universe conspires to help you when you start making moves. Take steps towards your goal and even if those don't pan out, you're moving in the right direction. Other opportunities have a way of cropping up, crossing your path in the most surprising ways. The payoff will come.
But don't rush it. Getting those foundational steps in first makes all the difference.
Most of this is about intention and energy.You might hear "Money is just energy." This refrain is a common catch cry in certain spheres. Not sure I buy into that. But for sure, the energy behind our money stuff counts.
Years ago when blogs were at their peak, I made a fair chunk of money off blogging. Sponsored posts helped fund a not insignificant part of my RTW trip. Yet it hardly ever felt all that good to me. I often felt like I was cheating the advertiser in terms of value exchange (sense of unworthiness/not enoughness). This also carried over into freelance stuff - not feeling like I deserved the pay.
In comparison, these days I feel rock solid when I get paid for freelance work. I no longer feel a little electric jolt when I get a payment notification - a physical manifestation of the surprise "they like me, they must really like me, they actually paid me for my work!" Instead I see those invoices paid and think "yup, that's about right." I'm grateful and joyful but not shocked.
Another example...I've given away a lot of money in my life. Most of it, reluctantly, to people I know. Begrudgingly. And most never repaid.
A small portion of that I have donated to causes that spoke to me. And that has been an entirely different experience. I loved giving that money. And I have found that the more I donate, the more comes back into my life in unexpected ways. Every time, not long after, something good follows. The universe is mysterious that way. But perhaps opening up your hands to give also opens them to receive.
Be generous if you can, act from abundance, as your richest self. It feels good in the moment - and it pays off in the long run.
And outside of the financial realm, energy absolutely counts.
As a parent, I live this every day. How I show up directly impacts how any given interaction or situation plays out. Deliberately choosing playfulness over frustration and control, whenever I can, shifts the vibe and the outcome. Kids are incredibly intuitive and they know, they sense, what's under the surface.