People often say something like “when I get this finished, then I’ll be happy” or “when I learn how to flip houses, I’ll be rich.”
What do you notice about those statements?
For me, there are 2 key things that jump out.
First, ‘when’ and ‘then’ are tomorrow words. How can you be in tomorrow when you haven’t even finished today? Start with what you have, here and now, and build from there.
Second, they are all what I call When / Thens – ‘when I get A, then I’ll have B’.
Every when/then statement is actually 2 different goals that do not really relate to each other. You can choose happiness, right now, in this moment, whether you’ve completed the project, met your ideal spouse or have a truckload of money in the bank. And you can create that truckload of money, or whatever, by simply putting together a plan of action and following it.
Action – Divide a sheet of paper in half vertically and write all your when/then statements with the ‘when’ section on the left hand side of the line and the ‘then’ section on the right hand side.
You will always find 2 separate goals you can pursue independently of the other. And if you find your ‘thens’ relate to feelings like happiness, joy, confidence, or security, allow yourself to feel those things right now.
When / then statements will always be about tomorrow and contribute nothing to your success.