“The
Anchor Project” is a way of clarifying the primary values for your life, and
strengthening them by taking consistent, manageable steps to focus on the life
you want and minimize the impact of external factors.
I call them “anchors” because anchors provide stability and security, even in rough seas.
1. ELIMINATE EXCUSES AND STAY FLEXIBLE.
This is the key to this whole process. I did not say to myself, “I can’t have the life I want because I am a single mother and sole provider, and my son needs a lot, and the job market is bad, and I don’t have the resources I need to achieve these things.”
Well, I did say all of that in the past, but “The Anchor Project” forced me to drop those excuses. Look at your excuses. Take action on the ones that can be changed. Make a Plan B for managing the ones that won’t budge. If you can’t move the obstacle, find a way around it, over it, or through it.
2. EXAMINE AND DEFINE YOUR VALUES.
Really. What do you want for your life? How do you want to feel? What sort of life will allow you to feel at peace at the end of your lifetime? How would you live if you lived with no regrets?
This is not a task-oriented “Bucket List.” This is a way to have the sort of life you want, to identify what grounds you and guides you. Once that’s in place, fill it however you like.
3. REFINE.
Define your vision for your life by organizing it into 3–5 “anchors.” What values ground you and guide you? The possibilities are endless. Pick the ones that mean the most to you.
4. CREATE A PLAN.
Reserve some time for yourself over the course of a few days for this process. Start with one anchor. Brainstorm ways in which your vision could be realized, and start listing steps you may need to take to strengthen that area. Stay open minded and include all possibilities that occur to you. Repeat with each anchor.
5. FOCUS AND APPLY.
Each day, take steps toward your ultimate vision for each Anchor. Every single day.
Notice distractions that tempt you to procrastinate. Bring your attention back to your original outlines, and focus on what you want. Another helpful technique is to make a list of things you could do for each anchor when you have ten minutes to spare, thirty minutes to spare, or an hour to spare.
When you find yourself with free time, use it toward creating your dream life.
If it’s feeling like too much work, re-evaluate the anchors you defined. You may find that they don’t accurately reflect your true values. Pay attention to the influences in your life, past and present, and how they may have shaped what you thought you wanted.
When you know what you really want in life, working toward it will feel exciting and energizing, rather than draining.
It’s very easy to let circumstances dictate the sort of life you live, to feel tossed around in the world. But it’s not the only way to live. There is an alternative. Clarify what you really want, create a plan, focus, and take consistent action.
There is strength in applied action, and there is freedom in saying “no” to the things that don’t fit your vision for your own life.
With strong anchors, you will be able to weather any storm.
I call them “anchors” because anchors provide stability and security, even in rough seas.
1. ELIMINATE EXCUSES AND STAY FLEXIBLE.
This is the key to this whole process. I did not say to myself, “I can’t have the life I want because I am a single mother and sole provider, and my son needs a lot, and the job market is bad, and I don’t have the resources I need to achieve these things.”
Well, I did say all of that in the past, but “The Anchor Project” forced me to drop those excuses. Look at your excuses. Take action on the ones that can be changed. Make a Plan B for managing the ones that won’t budge. If you can’t move the obstacle, find a way around it, over it, or through it.
2. EXAMINE AND DEFINE YOUR VALUES.
Really. What do you want for your life? How do you want to feel? What sort of life will allow you to feel at peace at the end of your lifetime? How would you live if you lived with no regrets?
This is not a task-oriented “Bucket List.” This is a way to have the sort of life you want, to identify what grounds you and guides you. Once that’s in place, fill it however you like.
3. REFINE.
Define your vision for your life by organizing it into 3–5 “anchors.” What values ground you and guide you? The possibilities are endless. Pick the ones that mean the most to you.
4. CREATE A PLAN.
Reserve some time for yourself over the course of a few days for this process. Start with one anchor. Brainstorm ways in which your vision could be realized, and start listing steps you may need to take to strengthen that area. Stay open minded and include all possibilities that occur to you. Repeat with each anchor.
5. FOCUS AND APPLY.
Each day, take steps toward your ultimate vision for each Anchor. Every single day.
Notice distractions that tempt you to procrastinate. Bring your attention back to your original outlines, and focus on what you want. Another helpful technique is to make a list of things you could do for each anchor when you have ten minutes to spare, thirty minutes to spare, or an hour to spare.
When you find yourself with free time, use it toward creating your dream life.
If it’s feeling like too much work, re-evaluate the anchors you defined. You may find that they don’t accurately reflect your true values. Pay attention to the influences in your life, past and present, and how they may have shaped what you thought you wanted.
When you know what you really want in life, working toward it will feel exciting and energizing, rather than draining.
It’s very easy to let circumstances dictate the sort of life you live, to feel tossed around in the world. But it’s not the only way to live. There is an alternative. Clarify what you really want, create a plan, focus, and take consistent action.
There is strength in applied action, and there is freedom in saying “no” to the things that don’t fit your vision for your own life.
With strong anchors, you will be able to weather any storm.
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