Is Your Life onAutopilot?
According to science and research, 95% of us live our lives on autopilot without intention. We have no conscious thinking about many of the things we do each day. We allow most of our routines to run our life resulting in lost opportunities taking us off course. I see this especially in women and working moms with high stressed busy jobs. It is during these times they need to be intentional in how they spend their time and energy. If you are currently in a place, you had not envisioned for yourself whether in your life, business, or career, ask and answer the question, “Am I living on autopilot?” “Am I being intentional about how I live my life?” Because change is constant and complex, it becomes critical to be aware of your surroundings.
You must pick up on any signals that could potentially take you off course. You must be aware and avoid these situations before it results in consequences you will not like. Ask yourself this question: Are you suffering the consequences of being absent, uninterested, neglectful, careless, indecisive, reluctant, and uncaring about your life, business, or career? Your life can be negatively impacted by what you ‘do not’ do just as much as what you intentionally decide to do! Too often people consider their lives as a “sunk cost”. They have put too much time, money, energy, and other resources into their job, marriage, client, or personal partnership. As a result, an irrational choice is made to remain in the situation instead of a rational one that assesses and decides based on the continued value of the current choice. You can choose differently if you decide to live an intentional life. A life where you are resolved, determined, committed, and eager to do something that matters to you! Your intention to live a better life is the mental aspect behind the action required to achieve the goal. Remember your FOCUS + the MEANING you give it = your RESULTS! YOU decide what you want in your life and whether you will be determined and act or be uncaring and act. The results will be different depending on your choice.
When you have been living your life on autopilot, it takes a different intentionality (proactive thinking) to get back and stay on track. Below are three important things to remember about intentionality:
1. Core Intention: It is important to establish your overarching theme of intention. For example, my intention this year has been to be open to all possibilities for love, fun, and prosperity in my life and business. All my actions must align with my core intention.
2. Structured Intention: Simple, practical, and small changes in your approach to your life will create ease with less stress. Intentional structure will enable you to achieve consistent and lasting success.
Embedding the structure below to become a natural part of your life will yield positive results:
a. Prioritize – do what really
matters to YOU.
b. Optimize Resources – do not
waste your time, money, and energy
c. Organize and Simplify – declutter
your mind, home, and office
to create space for new.
d. Develop Healthy Habits and
Routines – be mindful of your big
and small actions.
e. Practice Self-Care – look after
your mental, emotional, and
physical wellbeing.
f. Strengthen Important Relationships
– spend time with those
you love and admire.
g. Avoid Comparison to Others
– focus on your life’s journey of
personal and professional growth.
h. Forgive – yourself and others.
i. Be Grateful – practice gratitude.
3. Live Intentionally: You must live your life with intention, be intentional, and be unapologetic about your intentionality. You cannot conceptualize or structure yourself into intentional living. One of my favorite authors, Don Miguel Ruiz, wrote a book about The Four Agreements which advocates freedom from self-limiting beliefs. You cannot live a life of intention to achieve your outcomes with self-limiting beliefs.
Set your intention and agree that you will:
a. Be impeccable with your
word: Speak with integrity and
confidence saying only what you
mean. Do not use words to speak
against yourself or others leveraging
the power of your words for
truth and love.
b. Make no assumptions: Find
the courage to ask questions and
express what you want. Communicate clearly to avoid misunderstanding,
sadness, and drama.
Your life can be completely transformed
with this one agreement.
c. Do your best: Your best will
change from moment to moment.
For example, your best is different
when ill versus healthy. When
you do this, you avoid self-judgment,
self-rejection, self-abuse,
and regret.
d. Take nothing personal: This
is my personal favorite. Nothing
anyone does is because of you.
What they do is a projection of
their own state of reality, dreams
for themselves, and what they
know or believe to be true. When
immune to the opinions and actions
of others, you will not be a
victim of needless rejection.
You may be operating on autopilot if you are unhappy and do not know why; do not understand why you are thinking and choosing what you are doing; are not sure what makes you happy; you are experiencing low energy, or success and reaching your goals leave you unfulfilled. Good intentions are not enough! You must act. Live your life with a sense of urgency and anticipation to seize on the significant opportunities that await you. Life is what happens when you are not on autopilot and living life with intention and action. GO FORTH AND LIVE YOUR LIFE!
“Intentional living is the art of making our own choices before others’ choices make us.-Richie
Norton
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