BE

Of the 53 books I am going to read this year, there may not be a more important book outside of the Bible that I read this year.

If you want to know me, how I think and where I am going you can find me within the 244 pages that Robert Kiyosaki shares in his book The CASHFLOW Quadrant.

I feel particularly inspired to share my thoughts on these three words: BE – DO – HAVE

When I was laid off in January of 2009 all I had ever done was DO. To do is to take action regardless of the consequences, and so many of us fall into this trap. We want to be among those who own a home so we DO it. We want to drive a nice car so we DO it. We want to go on vacation so we DO it and while we are doing all of these things many of us fail to notice that we have to BE something first.

BEing is the act of actually thinking a certain way so you ARE a certain way. I have learned this lesson slowly and painfully and I finally have words to describe that process. This is the example from the book that created the understanding I now hope to share with you (pages 138-139):

Years ago I was in this class on goal setting. It was the mid-1970s, and I really could not believe I was spending $150 and a beautiful Saturday and Sunday to learn how to set goals. I would rather have been surfing. Instead, here I was paying someone to teach me how to set goals. I nearly backed out several times, but what I learned from that class has helped me achieve what I want in life.

The instructor put up on the board these three words.

BE – DO – HAVE

She then said, “Goals are the ‘have’ part of these three words. Goals such as to have a nice body, or to have the perfect relationship, or to have millions of dollars, or the have great health, or to have fame. Once most people figure out what they want to have, their goal, they begin listing what they have ‘to do.’ That is why most people have ‘To Do’ lists. They set their goal and then begin ‘doing.’”

She first used the goal of the perfect body. “What most people do when they want a perfect body is go on a diet, and then go to the gym. This lasts for a few weeks and then most are back to the old diet of French fries and pizza, and instead of going to the gym, they watch baseball on TV. This is an example of ‘doing’ instead of ‘being.’”

“It’s not the diet that counts; it’s who you have to be to follow the diet that counts. Yet, every year millions of people look for the perfect diet to follow in order to become thin. They focus on what they have to do, rather than who they have to be. A diet will not help if your thoughts do not change.”

I have never really wanted to BE anything or anyone in particular, rather I’ve always desired to DO and HAVE things. A lot of that is learned from family, friends and society and now it is time for me to unlearn these things that are so deeply ingrained not only in myself but in a majority of those around me.

I have known for years what I want to DO is own a company and live life a certain way. So I’ve tried a couple things only to find that they didn’t work. I’ve learned a lot (and lost a lot) but it’s my desire and at the end of each “trial” I’ve always said to myself “God knows the desires of my heart.” (In other words, I’ll just wait here until it comes to me.) This verse has run through my mind and off of my tongue hundreds of times and one day something inside me said, “You know you’re right about that. God does know the desires of your heart, they are apparent in the actions you take.” This light, this gift, this thought came crashing down like a ton of bricks in my mind. I thought I desire to BE a successful business person and though I have said it for years I have taken absolutely no steps towards BEing that person. I was so caught up on DOing that I had never taken the time to look at what it would take to actually BE that person.

This is not rocket science and many of you may have had this thought years ago but for me…it was a moment. Since that time I have taken on the challenge of reading books that challenge me, finding a place that I can work that mirrors my business philosophy and that will teach me the essential skills I need to BE that person in order to DO the right things and in the end I will HAVE the satisfaction of reaching my goals and knowing how to do it over and over again.

The changes are many, some will happen quickly and some not. Some will be noticeable, others not.

I have a lot to learn and one thing I’ve gained without question over the last 15 months is an appreciation of the journey I am on.

BE – DO – HAVE

I hope this finds you well.

~jc

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