Three Sticks — Moses on Life

The BE - DO - HAVE principle came 2 me twice in a single day the first time occurred while I was reading my daily devotional in Joel Osteen’s Daily Readings from Your Best Life Now: 90 Devotions for Living at Your Full Potential. The devotional focused maintaining a positive mindset and referred to Colossians 3:1 - 17. The second time I came upon it was in my rereading of Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom, part of the Rich Dad Poor Dad series.

Robert Kiyosaki in Cashflow explains the principle as follows. Goals are the “have” part of the principle and most people realize that to achieve those goals there are actions they must perform the “do” part of the principle. He uses dieting as an example of how must people apply the principle. Most people begin by determining a certain amount of weight to lose and then begin a diet and exercise program to lose the weight. This lasts for approximately a month or so. According to Kiyosaki, their diet and exercise program doesn’t last because they fail to the mindset of someone who would possess a body like theirs. Steve Pavlina chalks this up to persistence. To summarize, the principle states that to have (goals etc) what you want you must first set your mind to being the type of person that is able to achieve your goal and then perform the actions of that kind of person.

In Colossians 3:1 - 17, Paul helps the Colossians understand what it takes to be a Christian. In this chapter, he focuses on the Colossians developing the proper mindset (”be”) and behaviors (”do”) of Christians to receive the rewards (”have”) of Christians.

I’ve been working to apply this principle in my life. Earlier this year I wrote a planning document for my life where I did an assessment of who I was, who I wanted to be at the end of my life (beginning with the end in mind) and what I needed to do in 2007 to come closer to the person I want to be at the end. In some areas I listed like health and spiritual growth my success in sticking with what I planned for 2007 has been good not perfect, but pretty good. In many other areas I have been much less successful. I believe that some of my weaknesses stem from my focusing on what needed to do in 2007 rather than what I need to be and the mindset that I need to obtain.

Some of the goals that I have for 2007 require a radical mindset from my pre-2007 mindset or even my current mindset. These goals include:

• Creating and implementing a unique career path - I am currently a part-time entrepreneur, part-time writer and a full-time employee
• Eliminate my personal debt - I carry consumer, education and of course homeowner debt
• Living without fear - I have allowed fear to dominate some of my actions

I am working to redefine my mindset so that I can achieve these goals. I want to be in better place at the beginning of 2008 than I was at the beginning of 2007.

My next step is to review my 2007 plan and define concretely who I need to be to achieve my goals for this year.

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