I finally finished reading “Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want” by Barbara Sher. Now, for those of you who have never heard of this book, it is now printed in its 30th anniversary edition and more than 650,000 copies have been sold. It was originally published in 1979 and is a timeless classic for people who want their lives to count for something.
I was reading this book on the beaches of Cabo, and while sitting there in low 80 degree weather with a Pina Colada in hand, I knew exactly how to diagram my path! Like the book says, planning and mapping out your goal is the best way to ensure that any vague yearnings or dreams that have been harboring will actually materialize into concrete results.
Of course, now that I’m back to the real world, I have kind of stalled on my plan. But, I will get to it! Strategizing, goal setting and planning are so essential.
What’s great about Wishcraft is it’s practical. As Sher states, “To start creating the life you want, you don’t need mantras, self-hypnosis, a character-building program, or a new toothpaste. You do need practical techniques for problem-solving, planning and getting your hands on materials, skills, information, and contacts.” And Wishcraft has great advice on how to truly dissect what it is that you want.
She uses this example: Just suppose your dream happened to be to sail around the world on your own yacht. Most people would say, “Only millionaires can afford yachts.” (Ahem, in most cases, dream thrown out the window!) But, Sher says, you should be asking, “How can I get a yacht without a million dollars?” or “How can I get a million dollars?” And she has you question what your true goal is. Maybe it’s just sailing around the world in style. In which case, there are other methods to meet your goal. Regardless, once you figure out your true goal, you’ve got to brainstorm a bunch of ideas (including silly ones) on how to achieve it, and then you have to ask for help (because someone out there can help you get it).
In a nutshell, it’s a very practical book. Figure out your dream and outline and timeline your path to get it. No wishing upon a star or hoping it will just come to pass someday. Sorry, folks. You’ve got to figure out what you want and then timetable it with action steps and deliverables. Yes. Plan for it. That’s how you get what you want.
No Ugly Duckling 