Only when the pain of your current lifestyle becomes greater than the pain you will experience from the action you take to achieve it, will you do it. Become so disturbed with your current lifestyle, that you must make changes.
Mediocrity is not a comparison to someone else, it is when you settle for a life that’s anything less than you deserve and are capable of. Are you playing at 100%? Are you doing everything in your power to create abundance in your health, wealth and relationships? Have you settled? Have you been in a comfort zone up until now? Billions of people are going to die not achieving their definition of a dream lifestyle let alone take the first step. Will you be one of them?
I believe you are special, you are different and have greatness within you. That’s why you are reading this because I believe you are in the 2% that will do something about it, take action and achieve your heart’s wildest desires.
If you are serious about creating your dream lifestyle please take the time to write down the answers to the following questions. I understand this can be a little difficult at first, but the more you do it, the easier it will become.
My definition of a dream lifestyle is: _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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(Be sure to use sensory data terms such as ‘looks like’, ‘sounds like’, ‘feels like’ and more importantly word it in a way that you can show someone else you’ve achieved it and its tangible)
Why is it so important for me to achieve my dream lifestyle: ___________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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What would it really mean to me if I were to achieve my dream lifestyle: ________________
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On a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 being the most, how important is it I achieve my dream lifestyle?
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How will I feel when if in 6 – 12 months from now I’m still exactly where I am right now?
(Remember to make it as painful as possible)
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How will I feel if I take the necessary action and do achieve my dream lifestyle?
(Remember to make it as pleasurable as possible)
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If I keep doing what I have been doing up until now, am I guaranteed to achieve my dream lifestyle in the near future? Y/N
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What am I going to do about it?
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Chapter 3
Create and Action your Dream Lifestyle Plan
Would you like more clarity and certainty in your life? The key to having more certainty and clarity is to not only know your why, it’s also having a plan for exactly what you want and how you are going to get there. This step is about doing exactly that- determine what you want to achieve in your Dream Lifestyle.
If you have a business and you wish it to be successful, why do you not have a plan? If you want to lose weight or become an athlete, why do you not have a plan? I’m sure you would agree, so why don’t people have a life plan?
There are many facets and ways to create a Lifestyle Design Plan, and in this section we are going to start with the most fun and exciting two parts.
Part 1) Creating a Bucket List
I believe life is about creating magical memories with loved ones, and a bucket list is a great way to have a plan to ensure you make the time to create those magical memories. A plan for all the things we normally put off and call important, but not urgent. Travelling, learning a language, learning to play an instrument, climb Mount Everest, meet a mentor or celebrity, or compete in a challenge like an iron man or triathlon.
A bucket list is also a great way to keep yourself accountable and stop living ground hog day. Do you ever feel today was the same as yesterday? This week was just like last week? This year just like last year? Have you ever found yourself saying things like, well I will go on a holiday next year, or when our baby is born, or when I have more money? If you said yes to any of this, then you need a bucket list otherwise next thing you know it will be too late.
Life can be so much fun, an exciting adventure if we choose to step out of the ordinary and mundane and into the extraordinary. Many people live by default, reacting to the environment and their world, saying things like “I can’t afford that” or “when I win lotto”. By completion of this book upon becoming an athlete of the mind, you will begin to realise that when you choose what you want from life first, then take full responsibility for its attainment, it empowers you with a sense of controlling your own destiny. Some people say the sky’s the limit, but is it really? Les Brown says, “Shoot for the moon because even if you miss you will land among the stars.” Simply beautiful.
As you create your bucket list, your smorgasbord of delicious experiences you wish to have, it might be a challenge because we are not used to consciously having full freedom of choice or to choosing anything our heart desires. A little voice inside our head pops up and says things like “you don’t know how to do that”, or “you don’t deserve that”, or other self-sabotage self-talk. This is not you, it’s the brain’s physiological response to not wanting to change, as it likes familiarity, it likes comfort, and it likes security.
When you are creating your bucket list and you hear that little voice (and you will), keep going because it means you are on track for the change that you truly desire. Remember that your brain is a part of you like your hand or your foot, and they can work unconsciously but you can also choose to consciously master them.
For example, think of your big toe right now, now wiggle it, or don’t. Now notice that before I brought it to your attention, you knew it was there right? Of course, but you weren’t consciously thinking about it. Now you are, you can choose to move it anyway you want, well your brain is the same, and it just takes time and practice, like crawling or even walking for the first time. The key here is daily consistency.
How to Create a Bucket List
I suggest starting by making a list of 26 magical memories you wish to create before you leave this world. Then what I suggest doing is then also making a list of 26 experiences you wish to create this year. The goal is to get you living your bucket list items once every 2 weeks, and then weekly. Imagine doing this even daily.
You might be thinking, ‘but Jason I like to be spontaneous and be free.’ At first I felt the same way, until I actually started living my bucket list and realised by planning the memories I can live with more freedom, passion and adventure, quenching my thirst for my number one value in life; freedom!
You may also be thinking, ‘w
ell that’s great Jason but I can’t afford to travel and do all these eccentric or extravagant things.’ For now forget about the How to, and have faith in knowing that completing these 10 steps will give you the tools you need, and in time you will find a way. Know your why, manifest it and intensify it. Understand what you want (this process now), then determine and be flexible with your how.
To assist you in creating your Bucket List here are categories I suggest using:
- Material Items you wish to have – Jet Ski, car, and watch
- Achievements you wish to achieve – a degree, PhD, awards
- Places you wish to travel to – Egypt, Africa, Greece
- Things you wish to learn – a language, books, instrument
- People you would like to meet – celebrity, mentor, an inspiration
- Physical challenges you would like to experience – climb Mount Everest, iron man, triathlon
- Family memories you wish to create – take them somewhere or do something for them, marriage, and children
- Experiences you wish to have – swim with dolphins, jet packing, hot air ballooning
- Charitable – start a charity, do events, get hands on in a 3rd world country
For further Bucket List ideas, here is a link to my completed bucket list album on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jason.grossmanpt/media_set?set=a.10202977144741303.1584570694&type=3
My Top 26 Bucket List Items Ultimately
1) 14)
2) 15)
3) 16)
4) 17)
5) 18)
6) 19)
7) 20)
8) 21)
9) 22)
10) 23)
11) 24)
12) 25)
13) 26)
If at any stage you get stuck, it’s fine to take a day or so and come back to it. Let the ideas flow throughout your normal day. The ideas will pop up at seemingly strange times. In the shower, driving, brushing your teeth, eating and even whilst sleeping.
Also start by talking yourself through the categories, such as which places do I wish to travel to, then write them all down, then move onto the next category.
My Top 26 Bucket List Items for this Year
1) 14)
2) 15)
3) 16)
4) 17)
5) 18)
6) 19)
7) 20)
8) 21)
9) 22)
10) 23)
11) 24)
12) 25)
13) 26)
Once you have created these 2 lists, now it’s time to prioritize them. I want to challenge you to stop whatever you are doing right now and book in your number 1 for 2 weeks from now. That’s it - get on the phone, google it or do whatever you have to and BOOK IT RIGHT NOW!
Did you do it? How badly do you want to create your dream lifestyle and happiness?
Ok great, now that you’ve booked your first bucket list experience the hardest part is done. Now you want to habituate ticking off an experience every 2 weeks. I would love to see your photos of completed Bucket List experiences. Feel free to share your bucket list ideas and completed bucket list photos on our Fan Page: https://facebook.com/creatingyourdreamlifestyle
Imagine a life now, where you have 26-52 once in a lifetime experiences every year. What would that mean for you and your family?
SUGGESTION: Sit down with your partner or family and do this as a community exercise, nothing brings people closer than communicating about your hopes and dreams together.
PART 2) Create a Vision Board
So you created a bucket list, and it just sits there. You spend time, hours, even days creating this list and then it collects dust. You experience the fun of creating the list but you never action it.
My intention for this book is to give you the tools and resources you need to begin to create your dream lifestyle and motivate and inspire you to take massive action every day. One of the best mechanisms I know for this is accountability. You’ve probably heard the saying, ‘out of sight out of mind’ right? So to keep you accountable to take action with your bucket list we suggest creating a vision board. You may have heard of a vision board, you might even already have one, stick with us anyway as you might take something new on board.
Having a vision board and looking at it each morning when we first get up, and each evening before we go to bed, keeps our dream experiences in the forefront of our conscious mind. It is a visual display of all your dreams, in one place that can give you focus, clarity and drive every day to get through the tough times. To remember why you are doing what you are. Never quit on your dreams. Your vision board is a big part of your why, the fuel for the fire and when you take the time every morning and every evening don’t just look, also notice the feelings that arise when looking at the vision board and imagining yourself already having experienced those experiences through your own eyes. It makes what seems like a lifetime away to achieve more of a reality in the now. It feels good, exciting and even joyful.
A vision board is essentially a colleague of all your hopes and dreams and bucket list experiences you wish to have. There are two ways I like to create a vision board:
1. The more traditional way is to invest in a large whiteboard and tripod for your bedroom. Then make a list of your top 10 ultimate bucket list items, and your top 10 bucket list items for this year, then find visual pictures in magazines, and papers you can cut out and stick on your board.
2. The strategy I use now as I constantly travel is too make a list of your top 10 ultimate bucket list items, and your top 10 bucket list items for this year, then find visual pictures on the internet you can add to a folder on your computer, laptop or tablet. Then you can play them as a slide show each morning and evening.
My Top 10 Vision Board Photos Ultimately
1) 6)
2) 7)
3) 8)
4) 9)
5) 10)
My Top 10 Vision Board Photos For This Year
1)
6)
2) 7)
3) 8)
4) 9)
5) 10)
Both ways are very effective, it’s up to you as to which is more practical for your current lifestyle. If you truly do want to create a dream lifestyle I believe this to be one of the most important starting action items to complete. Take the time to make your lists of 10, then once you are done I would live to see pictures or examples of your vision board which you can share on our Fan page at https://facebook.com/creatingyourdreamlifestyle
Chapter 4
Construct and Action your Travel Plan
Would you like to travel more? If I gave you $20,000 right now, where is the first place in the world you would visit? Hawaii? Egypt? Greek Islands? Maldives? Paris?
If you were to travel more, who would you take with you? Family? Partner? Kids?
Imagine if you were to have the opportunity to travel 4 times, yes that’s right, 4 times a year.
Growing up we didn’t have the opportunity to travel. In fact it was only 12 months prior to writing this book that I even went overseas for the very first time. We have just visited 12 countries in 12 months and absolutely loving it. France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Singapore, Bali, Thailand, California, Hawaii, and we are about to visit Europe for 2 months in the UK, Netherlands, Croatia and Germany.