Trusting Myself Enough to be Crude

Over the years I’ve tried lots of different systems for resolution setting and goal-planning. You know, SMART Goals, life-changing resolutions, positive affirmations. But the results were sketchy at best. And completely demoralizing at worst.

One of the things I noticed is that I was following these systems, but they weren’t quite right for me. I was doing what I thought I should be doing, not what I wanted to do.

For example, every year I’d come up with something around money. But I’d never want to be so crude as to actually use the word MONEY. That would be too base. So, I came up with schmancy names, like financial wisdom or life wealth or a gazillion forms of abundance. But you know what? I never really felt connected to the resolutions or goals, and the results were what you’d expect. Completely variable.

As opposed to the times where I really connected with what I wanted. Like when my goal of being active wasn’t getting me to the gym or on the trail, but training to climb Mt. Hood, got me out every day. And now, more than a year later the basic goal still gets me to the gym and on the trail, even after reaching that particular summit. I’ve just keep changing the name of the summit!

So this year, as I was reflecting on 2009 and looking forward to 2010, I happened to read one of Michael Neill’s Coaching Tips, “What’s Your Impossible Dream for 2010?”

In it, he talked about setting up a big challenge for yourself, something that is hard to believe can happen, but you’d love it if it did. The example he gave was, “a 90 day game where “winning” was defined as earning more than [he] had earned in the previous 12 months.”

Wow, talk about big.

As I was reading, it hit me. I wanted to do the same thing. And I wanted to do it around money. Not wealth, financial security or abundance. But money. (Cue The Apprentice theme song.)

He gives lots of good information about why creating an impossible dream like this works. All good, important stuff. But the thing that struck me was the use of the word money. I realized that I had some fear that if I used the word money, rather than one of the nicer, P.C. terms, I’d turn into some kind of money grubbing huckster, who’ll do anything for a buck.

Ha. Not likely.

Suddenly I can trust myself to say what I really want out of this particular challenge. Money. Because behind that word is so much more… Helping people tame their fears. Igniting inspiration. Supporting other little people’s businesses. Having fun and laughing along the way.

And boy, when I set up my own Big Ass Money Challenge, the energy and excitement around it is game-changing. A little something magic happens when you trust yourself, even when it means using a word that can seem crude.

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Are you feeling stuck with resolution-making or goal-setting? Check out the teleclass I’m co-teaching with Janine Adams of Peace of Mind Organizing, called Why Resolutions Don’t Work (and how to get what you want anyway).