The Reverse Ground Hog Day Effect
March 30, 2012
Have you seen the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray? Did you ever feel like you could relate to his character?
Recently, I found myself reflecting on some new ways to help people gain clarity and courage in taking action on their unique dreams in life. I wanted to share one of them that I created during the development of an upcoming 10-week DVD / study guide resource for small groups called Pursuing Your Dreams Through God’s Eyes™.
So for those of you who have watched Groundhog Day, you will remember the issue Bill’s character was facing. No matter what he did each day, his day would start over again each and every day the same way – on Groundhog’s Day. It was if he was trapped in a time warp and couldn’t get out. What was worse, he was trapped in a day he disliked. Many of us have felt stuck in a rut or a cycle in life that we desperately wanted to get out of. Can you relate? Perhaps you can right now. If so, as I share my concept with you, I pray it is an encouragement to you as you walk into your future both professionally and personally.
The Reverse Ground Hog Day Effect™
I believe all human beings share something in common. They all want to live a full and spend their God-given energy and time doing the things they are most passionate about doing. I believe the challenge and goal is to find a clear direction to follow as our days becomes months, then years, then decades. Some people simply don’t have a dream so big that it scares them. Some people struggle to dream. Others might not feel that they have yet determined a direction in life that they could follow that would allow them to live fully alive, while operating daily life out of their deepest passions.
However, through my coaching, writing and speaking efforts (Live with Purpose Coaching and Running Down Your Dreams), I find a lot of people already know their biggest dreams and deepest lifelong passions. However, many of them don’t believe they can ever take action on them because they fear they will not succeed or that they are not ready yet. They put their dreams off for a day that will be better or easier to embark on the journey. What if that day never comes for you, and you stay stuck in your Groundhog Day forever?
Living out the concept of what I call The Reverse Ground Hog Day Effect™ is bold yet simple. It is defining and getting extremely clear (and specific) about what your deepest passions and purposes are in life. It’s committing to a life that will allow you to actually live out your dreams on a daily basis! How much more beautiful could your life be if you truly woke up each day in with that reality in mind? I am not saying you will not face difficulties or avoid adversity. It might seem like pie in the sky fantasy; however I can assure you that, judging from my own life and others whom I have coached, that it is possible for each of us. You simply have to have a willing, moldable heart and the courage to begin to live in a way that breaks the molds of this world. Here are six practical steps to living out your reverse ground hog day story:
- You must have and write down at least one dream that is so big that is scares you. You also need to write down “whys,” motivations and passions for each dream.
- The dreams must be ones that you are willing to spend your life striving towards, even if you are faced with failure and setbacks. Simply put, you must be ok with failing.
- I then encourage you share your dreams and “whys” with one or more people you respect whom you feel know you well and can be trusted.
- Better yet, you might choose to share your dream with someone that you know who has already started living out of their deepest passions so they can mentor you through your journey.
- Have courage to take the next, or first, step to achieving on your biggest dreams while living out the passions that are the “why” behind them.
- I strongly advise that, regardless of your spiritual background, you ask God in prayer how He feels about your dreams and the direction you want to head. Submit to Him in prayer that, like Jesus prayed before he went to that old rugged cross on Calvary, not your will, but God’s will be done. Christ was willing to submit all things to God, trusting that He knows best.
If you are truly willing to posture yourself to see your heart softened enough to humbly walk through the 6 steps above, I believe you are going to be ready for a beautiful journey, my friend! Are you interested in how you change the direction of your life so you could live out your Reverse Ground Hog Effect™? If so, I’d love to help you process through this conversation. Feel free to contact me.
God bless,
Joe
*I help my coaching clients focus on important life lessons like these so they can achieve better balance both personally and professionally. If you’d like to find out more about my life coaching company, Live With Purpose Coaching, feel free to contact me at (717) 283-2377.