Write Down What You Want

Chris Hines
Aug 22, 2017 · 3 min read

It may sound very simple, but documenting your desires is important. This will affect you in everyday life.

Everyone wants something. It’s part of being human. We all have desires no matter what they might be. That’s a good thing. The key of course is to possess what we desire. I don’t want to sit thinking and daydreaming about the Maserati, I want the keys.

Write it Down

Know what you want. Be very specific. If you want a Ferrari, it wouldn’t be wise to simply say, “I want a sports car.” That’s not specific enough. Be as detailed as possible about whatever it is that you want. This works with anything in life. If you want to graduate from college with a 4.0 be very specific about that. All the way down to the degree you’re pursuing.

This helps you physiologically. Being more specific about the car you want will cause you to do the correct research. How much will it cost? Where can I find this exact color? What will it ultimately take to get my specific sports car. Specificity keeps us extremely focused on the exact things we want. It’s hard to forget about what you want if you know every single detail possible.

Read it Every Morning

Most people grab their phone as soon as their eyes open. Start checking notifications, emails or see what’s trending on Twitter. We lay in bed for an extra thirty minutes pondering about the hours ahead. This is the worst thing you can do.

When our minds are active in the morning we can be groggy and irritated. That’s why it’s important to remind yourself why you’re even awake. Have your list close to your bed side. As soon as your eyes open, read that list of things you want in detail. It’ll be hard for you to remain lazy and spend an extra thirty minutes in bed. And if this doesn’t inspire you, did you really want it in the first place?

Everyone loves the inspirational speeches and videos on YouTube. You shouldn’t need that. Les Brown and Eric Thomas give me an extra boost, but I don’t HAVE to listen to their content for motivation. You can motivate yourself. You can inspire you.

Read it Every Night

Life can be grueling. Sometimes, everything goes bad all at once. I’ve been there: having car troubles, assignments are piling up and the job isn’t going to well. This is another reason why you write down what you want and read it before you get some rest. You need a reminder after that long day. Why did you do? Your reasons should be on that detailed list.

Reading your list will also affect your dreams as you sleep. The energy flowing within you will be different. Have you ever watched a movie before bed and dreamed of something eerily similar that film? The energy was still within you. You can

Ultimately, this can remove the negativity within you before resting. Your mind will return to focus on things you want which are obviously important to you.

The List

If your daily activities are consistently unaligned with your list, you can’t be working towards what you really want. When you work for what you want it’s not work. Also, be honest with yourself. This list is about you and what you want. Not parents, not friends or anyone else around you. At the end of everyday, you have to look yourself in the mirror.

There are several ways you can make this list. Don’t use your phone. It seems like the easiest, but it’s the most distracting. You’ll end up on Twitter instead of reading what’s important. Keep it old school by getting a pen and applying it to paper. You can also use a whiteboard or calendar.

Write down what you want.

Read it in the morning.

Read it at night.

Your life will change.

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Chris Hines

Written by

Entrepreneur | Podcasting | Branding

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