Dangers of Over Planning

I don't know about you, but we've been going "mad" over here planning weekends at home, away, guest, relatives, several weddings coming up and food!

Wrong!

You may also have noticed that over these past several weeks of newsletter articles, they all pointed to look deeper within.

So what's the difference?

If you're like me, our days become filled with activity with little time to actually feel organized enough to complete on some of those things.

Add a long weekend, a visit from relatives, your friend calls and asks you to go out spontaneously, or a program looms on the near horizon you have wanted to take for some time.

Some of these items are over-planning, some are simply lacking a plan of action to fit into a lifestyle that could be (or not) out of control already!

And to top it off, summer's here! Barbecues, more visitors, garden party, planting some flowers, going to the beach, or just sitting in the sun enjoying some alone time.

That's how "stress" begins… over planning without a plan of action.

If you are worrying about the color of the place mats for the new deck furniture for the guests coming this weekend, is it just your brain going into overdrive because you need approval from your social group?

Now that's how you tap into the real issues! When the color of the mats or the height of the grass becomes more important than… well, you decide… this is problemic!

Interesting little story here. A client shared he was going to get marketing support from his friend to help him spread the word about his new business.

However, at the time, his friend was unemployed, in the middle of a divorce, drinking heavily and not such a good choice. You see, you need to be careful who you surround yourself with. Energy is very important.

What's not always obvious is the need for you to do more clearing of that mental context or perception (beliefs) you hold about yourself and other people.

What else causes distress is NOT ignoring that inner critic that talks and talks and whimpers and cries at you day and night, "You can't do it, can ya? You'll never make it!"

You know the voice? You've given that voice the power over your life choices and now what? You believe the "stuff" of that little voice. However, it's not your fault.

You picked it up most of it without evening knowing. Remember the 90/10 rule I wrote about a few weeks ago? You can find the article here.

So what are these dirty little secrets of programming in your mind and what can you do about them?

Can you tell the difference right now if your mind chatter encourages you to step out and live bigger or does it squash and crash your dreams? Does it encourage you to take action or hide out in fear?

Here's what you could do as a plan of action to encourage more success in the big and little things you want to do.

1. Become aware. Here's what to notice first. How do you interact with people at home is how you interact everywhere else, including work. How you interact in personal relationships is how you interact in other relationships. How you believe you are is how others perceive you!

Ouch – now that came out of left field didn't it?

2. If you believe you're not worthy or not talented, or heaven forbid, not loved, people tend to pick up on that energy and respond appropriately. Worse, because you believe this way, you respond to people "as if" they don't care anyway!

People act around you the way you expect them to! The trouble comes when you do not know consciously you are doing this.

3. When you become aware of the way you think about yourself, you would become aware of why people treat you the way they do. That includes potential clients and lovers alike!

Another example is if you hang around negative people who are doom and gloom sayers about economy and getting shafted instead of focusing on the successes, you stand a good chance of failing.

Your energy becomes negative as well.

4. If you're too occupied with planning, gathering, researching and more gathering, planning and researching, you stop yourself from doing what you originally wanted to do!

5. Results don't come from just planning and gathering. They come from taking action to achieve the goals you set out. Are you taking action even if you don't really feel you're ready?

The trick is to become aware of what you are telling yourself about how soon you "should" get started. Then you can easily shift into action.

6. What you tell yourself is very, very important. Remember this last episode of "Celebrity Apprentice"?

Arsenio Hall kept saying over and over he would win, he wanted to win, winning was foremost for him. Do you remember what the runner up kept repeating? Clay Aiken said over and over, "I don't want to come in second… again… I don't, I don't!"

Guess what? The universe does not differentiate between can and can't, will or won't. The universe carries out your intention… that which you are focused on. Arsenio was focused on winning. Clay was focused on 2nd place! See the difference?

Great job today!