A lot of people have various dreams, goals, aspirations, and the desires that they hope to achieve someday. It can be goals of financial breakthrough, academic excellence, business success, living a healthier life, or having a better relationship. It is true that there is nothing wrong with dreaming and wishing, but the truth is that wishing alone will not get the result that you seek. There is a very big difference between wishful thinking and purposeful action. Wishful thinking only focuses on what the person hopes that it will happen. While purposeful action focuses on what the person is willing to do in order for what they hope to become a reality.
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I have a friend who always wanted to lose weight. He would tell himself that he would shed body fat and become more fit. In fact, each time he would write a "new year resolution," it will be part of it. Yet he remained the way he was. After about 4 years of constantly wishing, he decided to make a move. He started a workout, then he registered in a nearby gym for regular exercise, coupled with eating healthy meals. He also made a decision to stay disciplined to his routine. Even though he did not see the result immediately, but he stayed on the course. After a couple of months, the effects started showing. At the present, he has achieved the kind of body he wants. It did not come because he wished for it, but it came because he was intentional and he put actions into it.
Wishful thinking may seem easy and comfortable because it requires little effort. It makes people to imagine a better future without actually confronting the challenges that are required to achieve it. For example, someone may want to become wealthy, skilled, fit, healthy, or successful, but just wishing will not get the result done. Your dreams will still remain a dream until you have deliberately and intentionally put in actions to bring them to reality. A lot of people have thoughts of how they want their life to be, but it only comes as a result of actions.
Purposeful actions will start when you move from just desires to start taking responsibilities for your goals. It also involves setting clear targets and objectives, having a clear plan, working to build a good habit, and also working towards the desired outcome. Wishful thinking only focuses on possibilities. No matter how you wish for change to happen, there are certain changes that can only come as a result of the actions you take. Like a student who is just average will remain average until they have put in conscious efforts to take their studies seriously and that is when they will improve.
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One of the reasons why some people are trapped in wishful thinking is fear. You will agree with me that taking actions may require a form of risk. This can even require you to leave your comfort zone, face certain uncertainties, and even accept challenges. But with fear in the heart, it will make the person not to take the risk. Imagine someone who wants to start up a business, then after considering a lot of challenges, studies, competition, possibility of failure, etc, then fear might make them not to start. But what they do not realise is that if they allow fear of failure to stop them from taking actions, then they have failed already.
Another reason that could keep someone trapped in wishful thinking is procrastination. Some people constantly postpone actions that they are meant to take, with the hopes of getting a perfect moment. They convince themselves that they will start tomorrow, yet they will still be postponing it. The truth is that the perfect condition that they are hoping for may not even come. But the people who are purposeful will understand that progress does not start by a perfect action, but may be by an imperfect action. They will start and then improve along the way. The difference between wishful thinking and purposeful action is in the commitment you put into the action.
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