Five minutes from now

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...the best thing ever is going to happen. What if that is true?

What if you're struggling right now, frustrated and disappointed that things aren't working the way you want them to, but in five minutes all of that will change?

That would rock.

If it all turned around in five minutes you'd be so busy celebrating, you'd forget how it felt just minutes before when it seemed like it-will-never-happen.

It is true. Five minutes might be 24 hours or a week or two years. But, it's gonna happen.

The big challenge then is:  what do you do for the next four minutes before it does?

I ask my clients, and myself, that often. How you handle yourself before what you want comes through is important. What you tell yourself. What you believe.

Think about the thing you want more than anything. If it is already on its way, what will you do before it arrives?

Here's what I do:

  • Keep busy. I clean off my desk. Go through junk mail. Wash my dishes and clean my bathroom. I get small, easy items off my to-do list that will engross me for periods of time and help me feel accomplished.
  • Believe. Something amazingly unexpected could happen five minutes from now. It makes me giddy to think that is true, and helps the time pass.
  • Help someone else. Volunteer. Give a pep talk. Donate old clothes (see #1). It feels good. They feel good.
  • Be grateful. Even before this new awesome thing arrives, life is pretty good. See how it is, and maybe send out a thank you note or two (see #1).
  • Exercise. Make art. You know these work every time.
  • Eat cheese doodles. I'm not above wallowing.
  • Plan. Dude, this thing is about to happen. Maybe you should think about what you're going to do when it does! Make a new to-do list, buy yourself a new outfit, write your acceptance speech, call your mom.
  • Say yes. It might take less than five minutes. It might have been waiting in the wings for a while until you were ready. Well, be ready then! Open your arms up as wide as they can go and get ready.

If you only have to wait four more minutes for what you want to arrive, what will you do?

I'll tell you what you're doing five minutes from now...telling me what happened!