For most people discovering their Personal Aim involves new ways of looking at themselves and their lives. It requires that you question why you do what it is you do, your assumptions, beliefs and core values.

You begin by making a list of all the things you want in your life and don’t want out of your life. Then reviewing the lists and focusing on the most important wants and don’t-wants.

What you Don’t Want

Often it is easier to decide what you don’t want rather than what you do want. A good way to begin is to list all the things that you don’t want.

Currently you are focusing on those things that you don’t want and are constantly reminded of them day-in day-out. The result is that you are mentally rehearsing them, practicing them and reinforcing them. This is negative visualization.
In sports you are taught to visualize the techniques necessary to better play the sport and what outcome you want. This is positive visualization.

If your habit is fault finding and focusing on what can go wrong, then your mind stays on the negative, even though you wish a positive outcome, you are rehearsing the negative. This negative thinking is a difficult habit to overcome.

What you Do Want

Think about what you do want when you dream, when you feel free. What gives you the most satisfaction or fulfilment? What is important to you? If you had all the money and time you needed what would you do?
A good technique to visualise your dream life is to collect a number of glossy magazines that you read, covering houses, cars, holidays, family, adventure, sport etc etc. From these cut out those pictures that excite you or form part of your dream life. Paste these cut out pictures on a large sheet of cardboard. Hand the picture in a prominent position so that you are reminded of what want each day. It will focus your attention and energise you

Some Questions to Stimulate your Thinking

The following list of questions will help you stimulate your thoughts and putting you in the right frame of mind. Take time to think about your answer to each question.
• What do you want your life to look and feel like?
• What do you value most? What is important to you?
• What matters most at this point in your life
• What would you say about your life after it’s too late to do anything about it?
• How do you want your life to feel on a day-to-day basis?
• What would you like people’s perception of you be?
• What do you daydreams about?
• Do you ever find yourself wishing you were different? For what do you wish? Why aren’t you that way? What gets in the way?
• Of all the things you have done in your life what has given you the most pleasure or satisfaction? What has given you the least pleasure or satisfaction’?
• If you no longer had to work, how would you spend your time? And with whom?
• I there anything missing from your life? When you find yourself wishing for something, what is it?
• What motivates you to perform above and beyond the call of duty?
• What are your greatest strengths? What are your greatest weaknesses?
• What do you want to achieve but find it impossible? What obstacles exist?