"I wish _____" is a very prevalent phrase in many of our vocabulary. When circumstances aren’t ideal, to simply just day-dreaming in class, these words seem to find their way out of our mouths. I’ve been thinking about that phrase lately and how it impacts my behavior and I’ve come to realize, it is a real inhibitor to my motivation.
"I wish" implies your dream is unattainable. And that’s another word; dream. Stop calling them dreams and start calling them plans. For years, I’ve been saying I wish I could travel. Well, the only person stopping me was me. The minute I stopped saying I wish and started saying I will, I had four trips planned to California, Cozumel, Ireland and Brazil. My first trip tickets have already been purchased, so I am already on my way to fulfilling this goal of traveling.
This “I will” mindset that I acquired, originated in the monumental moment in my life where I decided to change my major… for good. I came into college seeking a degree in psychology but not because I was set on being a therapist, but because it was my plan B. A $20,000 plan B. See, my plan A was to work in the T.V. or film production industry. But I didn’t want to move to California, not make it, and be stuck waitressing for the rest of my life, waiting for my big break. So, I decided to a get a degree in something I could fall back on that would guarantee me a job. I put my plan A on hold so that I could establish the foundation of my plan B.
Almost everyone I talked to about this said it made sense to do it this way, because expecting to become a screenwriter in Hollywood is just unrealistic. Until one friend brought to my realization how backward my way of thinking was. It was as if I was expecting myself fail to pursuing my plan B instead of plan A. Successful people don’t have a plan B because they believe in themselves to achieve their plan A. How would I ever reach my goal, if I wasn’t even pursuing simply because I was scared to fail?
After that moment, I changed my major to Mass Communications with a focus in production, so that I could still get a degree but it would be in the field that would equip me with more skills for the industry I was truly passionate about. Since then, I’ve adapted the “I will” mindset. I will get my dream job. I will be successful.
Stop saying I wish and start saying I will. You'd be surprised how much it changes your actions and how many more of your goals get accomplished.
