"I dwell in possibility" ~Emily Dickinson
KEEPING A SMALL WINDOW OPEN
Last night we slept with our small bedroom windows partially open to experience the fresh air and breeze. We just sleep better with the cooler, fresh air.
Possibility thinking is much like this. The mind does not have to open all the way to experience the effects. Possibility thinking does not mean you must believe something wholeheartedly, or even at all, just that you keep open a small window of your mind to the possibilities.
When working with coaching clients I often ask the question, "Is it possible that you could consider another option here." When people are stuck and see no other options sometimes just posing the questions can help. People are free to choose or reject anything they are considering. However, we often respond in a common way. We look at where we currently are and see "the gap" and automatically look as all the reasons it would not work. This is also know as thinking from your current conditions. Does this sound familiar?
YOUR CURRENT OR PAST CONDITIONS DO NOT PREDICT FUTURE RESULTS
Yesterday my husband and I went to see our financial adviser. We had questions about how our portfolio had been performing and were looking for new options. Our adviser spent time explaining the crazy 15 year period we've just come through with the financial market and historic trends. Although he spoke about some predictability with a balanced portfolio and spoke about what the experts are predicting in the way of growth over the next decade he then said something that was not rocket science but made much sense. "You can not predict future results based on current or past trends in the market." He went on to explain with long term investing and market performance, there is a bandwidth of possibilities which ranged from gains of +19 to losses of -24. The market is that volatile.
Even when we understand this concept when it comes to our investments, we often do not use the same logical thinking when applying it to other parts of our lives. We look at where we are currently standing and jump to conclusions about what we can achieve or have in our future. For instance, let's say our dream is to make a six figure income in 2010. We are currently making $20,000. We often go into the "how" mode and then come up with reasons why it will not work before we even begin to explore possibility thinking. The gap seems too large and we choose to abandon our dreams rather than "dwell in possibility"
WHEN LOOKING AT THE GAP ASK GOOD QUESTIONS AND EXPLORE WHAT YOU CAN DO
Einstein had it right when he said "One cannot alter a condition with the same mind set that created it in the first place." We can embrace possibility thinking first when we have a dream/goal. Disregard needing to know the complete "how" and take one step at a time towards your dream/goal. Figuring out the whole plan before you take a step in the direction of your goal/dream rarely happens. You often stay stuck with the ideas in your head and lots of reasons why they will not work. Things will unfold as we take our steps; sometimes they will be baby steps other times giant leaps. In the example above a good question to ask might be, "What could I do this month that would double my monthly income." Allow options to come to you. One good idea is often all that is needed to begin seeing results.
GET A BIGGER PAN
There is a story of a fisherman who fishes all day at the river, he pulls in fish after fish. There is a young girl watching him one day and she sees that he catches a fish, measures it with a broken off ruler and throws many of the fish back in the river. She is curious because the fish that he throws back are whoppers. She asks, "Mister why are you throwing away all the big fish?" The man points to his bag and asks her to bring it to him. He takes out a small frying pan and says, "See the big fish wouldn't fit."
We might laugh as the absurdity of keeping a small frying pan for only small fish yet this is often how we live our lives. We can decide for a larger life if we choose to. We can examine our thoughts and beliefs and decide which ones no longer serve us.. We can start with the right questions and pay attention to our small pan thinking.
SOME TIPS FOR BEGINNING THE PRACTICE OF POSSBILITY THINKING
- Join a mastermind or support group with people who are committed to using possibility thinking-this will speed up your learning curve and give you the accountabilty that is necessary
- Begin to practice gratitude and notice and write down all the things that you already have and those things that are coming-Gratitude is powerful!
- Read and study material that embraces these principles starting with the classics such as "Think & Grow Rich", "The Science of Getting Rich" and "The Game of Life and How to Play it" and "The Power of the Spoken Word"
Dwelling in possiblity is a wonderful way to live. Life is precious-make it great!