The power of goal setting cannot be underestimated. It’s been working wonders in my life. I came across a wonderful story that illustrates the principles and gives us a taste of what is possible. It’s from Bob Proctors eBook You Were Born Rich. Enjoy!

Patti’s Cruise

Patti Moir first came to my seminar, with her parents, when she was only eleven years old. By the age of fifteen she was already speaking in the seminars and sharing with the audience the manner in which a concept in the seminar had moved her from failing miserably in French-at school-to honor’s grades (and in a relatively short period of time, to boot!)

Five years later she was working with me in the seminar business. One day I noticed her attitude seemed to be slipping badly and it appeared to me that she was not enjoying herself one iota (note that these are the first telltale symptoms of an individual who is without a goal). So I asked her what it was she really wanted and her immediate response was, “What do you mean by that?” I explained to her, that since she wasn’t working toward anything, she didn’t have anything to look forward to, and this made life extremely difficult, to say the least. Then she said, “But I don’t have any money, so I can’t do anything.” I reminded her, however, that it doesn’t cost even one penny to want or to dream. A radiant smile suddenly came across Patti’s face, and she told me that what she wanted, more than anything else, was to go on a south sea cruise. I said to her, “That would probably be a lot of fun.” I told her I had done it a number of times myself, and I described to her how beautiful it was. I also expressed my expectation, that she would have a truly marvelous time. I pointed out, moreover, that she would retain the memories from the trip for the rest of her life and she could then relive them, over and over again, whenever she desired it.

At this juncture, I asked her what was holding her back. Again, the same response was forthcoming from Patti, “I don’t have any money.” This type of negative thinking had been crippling her, by preventing her from undertaking something in her life which she felt was very important.

But the real reason I bring this story up here, is to illustrate that even though Patti was mature, had no ties and had no real reason not to go on the trip, her own thinking was holding her back from doing so. Clearly, she was a young lady who was “thinking in reverse.” She had thoroughly convinced herself it was a lack of finances which thwarted her desire, but of course, that just wasn’t the case. Nevertheless, whatever the source of her real frustration may have been, it was certainly holding her back from
realizing her dream.

Understand, that untold numbers of people are making the same error Patti made-daily-and it is a great tragedy. Perhaps you have been making this same error in your own life. If you have, I hope “Patti’s story” will be the inspiration you need to get you moving in the direction you wish to go. In any case, one day Patti and I went to lunch together and we had a very serious discussion. I said, “Listen Patti, if you really want to go on a cruise, you must quit looking back or looking at “what is,” because looking at present results is a very common form of thinking in reverse. You must commence to look ahead and you must start applying what we profess in the seminars. So go ahead and book your trip-make definite plans-and don’t give one thought to anything going wrong. Know that whatever you need for your goal to materialize, will begin to be attracted to you, as soon as you accept the idea that you are going, and make definite plans to do so. If it is money that you need, you will have it. It might not all be in place until the very last moment; but if you see it, and you believe it, and you expect it, you most certainly will receive it.”

I won’t bore you with the details of how things all came together, but I will tell you they came together in wondrous and unexpected ways. Eventually, Patti actually attracted more money than she required for her trip. I was at the airport at approximately 6 a.m. with Patti’s parents-on the morning that she left, and it was a tremendously gratifying experience for me, to see her face aglow with nervous excitement. Suffice it to say, she went on her cruise. She had enough courage to travel alone and she enjoyed a trip
which she will surely remember all the days of her life. But what is even more important than the trip itself is the awareness Patti gained from the experience. For she now knows, through her own personal experience, that if you think in reverse, you will only see reasons why you can’t. However, if you will but look into the future with a positive, even expectant attitude, you will see that you “can do.” Patti will be able to apply this awareness toward the achievement of all of her future wishes.

Have you been dreaming of a trip? If you have, go out and book your reservations. It doesn’t matter if the reservations are for six months or a year from now; make them immediately and then enjoy the anticipation which precedes the actual event. I honestly believe that in Patti’s particular case, the excitement leading up to her trip was equally as enjoyable and exciting as the actual trip itself (not to mention the enjoyment which she will derive from the memories of her trip, which she will carry with her
for the rest of her life).

The probable reason that so few people make plans or set goals, similar to the one discussed above, is that most people are unable-in their own mind-to figure out how everything necessary will come together. But you must understand, you need not know how everything will come together. All you have to understand is the underlying principle, by which your good comes; namely, everything which you receive in life comes by virtue of the “Law of Attraction.”