How to get what you want

I want a career

I want to travel

I want to finish my degree

I want to live in the same country as my children

I want my charity work to thrive

I want to write a book

I want to get fit

For others their wants may be to live in a bigger house, to get a promotion at work, loose weight, get fit, to go on holidays, own a new car.

It is possible to get what you want in and from life but before you begin you have to decide on your priorities.

How many of you sit there and think what you’d do with the money if you won the lottery? But, first to be able to win the lottery, you must buy a ticket and this is where it all starts.

So how does one tackle the ‘wants?' Nothing is going to come to me without some level of effort on my behalf, it’s the same for everyone else. There may be immovable restrictions to over come, such as finances and children and self imposed restrictions.

I think the self imposed restrictions are the hardest obstacles to negotiate especially if it comes from self esteem, value and worth. But I’m just not good or talented enough is not a barrier if you really want to achieve things.

You’ll note I don’t actually want a job, I want a career and for the past 4 years in South Africa I’ve been restricted by governmental rules for employing none South Africans. But it hasn’t stopped me building on my career, developing my CV and working full time, just without pay. We won’t be living here forever and it’s all preparation for when I do live in a country where I can work.

I want to travel…not just holidays, but proper exploration, climb Kilimanjaro, walk the Inca trail and explore Egypt to its fullest. There are restriction to this and one is finances, the other is I have a husband to factor into this. But first things first, the travel is not a priority for the time being, so it is sat simmering away on the sidelines waiting till I have built up a substantial pot of money, which brings me back to having a career.

I started a degree in Psychology and Criminology in 2007, it was put on hold when we moved as we had limited internet, I was doing a research project. Once we had the internet and our new lives sorted I applied to the OU to continue with my studies to discover that South Africa isn’t a qualifying country to study with them. But that doesn’t stop me from researching now, from picking up my books and doing some self study until we move to a country where I can continue my studies.

Living in the same country as my children is not a ‘no, no’ we will have to return to the UK eventually and in the meantime I can explore my idea of travel by visiting the UK as often as finances afford and the children can come here and visit.

My charity work can and will thrive wherever I am in the world, it’s just up to me to dedicate and devote the time to it. The same with writing a book, I don’t have dreams of being a best seller or even getting anything published, but unless I finish writing a book, I'll never achieve that want. I can dream all I like but I actually have to get off my arse and do something about it.

I want to get fit, not slim and trim. I’m not planning on running a marathon, but the travel I want to do isn’t sitting on a beach and at 42 I have to be realistic about my abilities. I’m not going to get fit sitting in front of this laptop all day, I don’t have a career that limits my time, I don’t have kids at home that need my constant attention.

I have no excuses, it’s all down to me.