Clear Thinking - Forward Thinking – Another New Beginning ! - by Mike George

3rd January 2010



The old year has gone, a new year begins. Some make resolutions, while others make no promises to themselves, as they know they are likely to break them. Some say they have no concern for the future, preferring to live in the now, while others emphatically declare that ‘you have to have a plan’. It’s almost impossible not to think ahead in some way, if only to speculate about what may come. And thoughts of another year stretching out ahead will certainly influence how that year will unfold, as thoughts are, after all, the starting point of all that we create.


If you do look ahead, at least though your mind’s eye, it will be the quality of your thinking today that will shape the quality of your life tomorrow, and perhaps your destiny beyond. So how are we to ‘think’ about the future? What are the ways in which we can use the power of our mind to empower our life and our living? There are various ways in which we use our thoughts to map the future. Some are powerful and have proved to be effective in creating newness, while others are less so. And some could be seen to sabotage the possibilities of good things happening!


The Worrier
When we worry about anything we are creating an imagined fear of what ‘may’ happen in the future. Which is why worry is sometimes referred to as ‘fanticised catastrophising’! Worry is speculative miscreation of a story of loss, as all fear is always of possible loss. It drains mental energy and although worries seldom actually happen they do ‘interfere’ with our personal well being and the health of our relationships over time. Sharing our worries with friends and families hardly endears us to others and seldom attracts new friendships. Thinking fearful thoughts, however subtle that fear may be, only detracts from our contentment now and has the habit of staying with us. And if we worry hard enough then what we fear is more likely to happen.

The Hoper
Some people look to the future and simply hope for the best. They tend to have a vague sense that all will be OK, at least they hope so! They have not fully realized that their future is in their hands. They are likely to see themselves as a victim of circumstance and be quite dependent on external events for what they feel. They are always asking, “What’s happening, how do I feel?” Whereas those who are more the master of their life will ask, “What do I feel, now what’s happening?”. Hoping for a better tomorrow already has doubt ‘built in’. And the presence of doubt means the mind is unfocused and therefore the self has still not realized the power and understanding to consciously create their future.


The Follower
There are those who think forwardly according to the perceptions and thoughts of others. They are easily influenced by others, especially the media. Others’ worries quickly become their worries. Others’ beliefs quickly become their beliefs. They will frequently feel they have no control over their life. They have not yet taken over the reigns of their own thoughts and feelings and they tend to be easily impressed and easily lead astray.

The Wanter
And then there are those who ‘desire’ their way into the future. Their forward thinking sounds like ‘I want’ and looks like a queue of desires and feels like …tension! Desire means personal happiness has become dependent on having desires fulfilled and that brings the fear of not having desires fulfilled and therefore the possibility of future unhappiness. The ‘wanter’ attempts to use ‘desire power’ to make their future bright. They have yet to realize that what they really want they already have in abundance. They have yet to realize that in order to know and feel what they have, which is what they want, they need to use their ‘will power’. Only by ‘willing’ to others what they want themselves can they receive what they desire. This of course is one of the secrets of the power of love.


The Dreamer
There are those who can be frequently observed drifting into a dream like state. They are regularly heard to say, “Everything is going to be just wonderful”. They are dreamers. The dreamer lives a large part of the life in a mental fantasy of what the future could bring, but dare not believe or hope that it could really ‘happen’, for fear that it may not live up to their dreams. They are even less inclined to make something happen. So they spend long periods living in an entirely self created idyllic world inside their heads. They do not ‘dare to’ dream (something that some of us probably need to do a little more of) they ‘live in’ their dreams, as if they were real right now. And as a consequence can seem quite disconnected from what the rest of the world calls reality.


The Aimer
The goal setter is extremely concerned with controlling how their future unfolds. They will likely break their life down into different areas and set goals in each one. They are well organized, and highly focussed. There will be a clear strategy of action to ensure that all they think and do in the year ahead is aligned to achieving their stated goals. However, unless they have clearly understood the difference between a goal and a desire it’s likely their goals will be desires in disguise, bringing with them the fear of failure and the possibility of unfulfillment and unhappiness. The aimer easily finds themselves turning life into a struggle as then striving to reach their goals. Their belief that satisfaction and happiness lies in achievement means they only allow themselves temporary contentment at the point of arrival, and then it’s ‘seriously’ onwards and upwards to a new goal.


The Seer
The visionary either knows what lies up ahead or they know whatever they envision for their life is likely to evolve in the most natural way. The visionary forces nothing, least of all thoughts about the future. They know that if they sit quietly and pose a simple question, while being fully present in the moment called now, the sense of what is to unfold in their life will come clear. They are aware enough not to worry or desire, as they know that such habits block the emergence of clear insight into what will be. They trust their intuitive abilities. They surrender to whatever subtle insights and feelings that may arise. And deep within their heart there is both gratitude and grace, and a clear awareness that life itself is the greatest gift, an opportunity to create beauty and a responsibility to show others the way ahead.


Question : Which of the above, or combinations of the above, best describes your mental inclination towards the future.


Reflection : Why do you think it is that so few seem to have confidence in what the future may bring.

Action : Ask three people how they see their lives unfolding in the coming year. Use questions to help them grow their vision. And if they don’t ask you spontaneously then ask them to ask the same question and then listen to your self.


© Mike George 2010



If you would like to respond to the above or clarify any of the content contact mike@relax7.com
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