Something everyone notices as they age is how much faster time flies. Imagine squeezing more out of each day, month, and year. Sounds enticing, doesn’t it?
There is a straightforward way to get more out of life by using a pattern for creating that exists everywhere. Most of us use this pattern without realizing it. It can be applied whenever you create something new, whether a simple grocery list or something as complex as your career path.
Let’s look at how you can use this process and what it can do for your life.
The process
While there are different methods for creating, many of us find the simplest is best, especially when it already exists.
The process discussed here works for creating tangible products, such as a table, a painting, or a house, and for intangibles, such as ideas, talent, knowledge, experience, etc.
The method uses logical, sequential steps, as does any good process. To facilitate remembering the four steps involved, we will use the acronym STAR.
See
Step 1 — You must SEE it.
Before you create anything in life, you must first see it. When you see what you desire, want, or need, you can visualize it (see it in your mind’s eye) and imagine it existing. The clearer you visualize it, the greater your chance of bringing it into existence.
“When you visualize, then you materialize.” Denis Waitley (1933-present)
Think
Step 2 — You must THINK about it.
When you have the image of what you want to create in your mind, you start using your imagination to refine it. The more it lives in your thoughts, the greater the likelihood you will create or obtain it.
Given serious thought about what you wish to create, plans will naturally come forth. With a plan, you can succeed and move on to step 3. Planning is crucial to all of creating. As one of our country’s founders said long ago:
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” — Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
Act
Step 3 — You must take ACTION.
Too often, we see what we want and give it much thought but never do something about it. Without action, you will not create anything. The key here is to start. The man known as America’s foremost business philosopher once said:
“Start from wherever you are and with whatever you’ve got.” Jim Rohn (1930–2009)
Delaying can soon lead to doing nothing. Don’t hesitate. Start doing something this very minute with an open mind. You can go back a step or two to gain more clarity and do additional planning, but you cannot skip this step if you want to create something. It is because of action the creation comes to life.
Remember, action must follow more action until you arrive at the final creation. Keep looking and working toward the result, one step after the next, until you achieve it.
Receive
Step 4 — You must RECEIVE it
Successfully taking the first three steps will lead to the outcome of your creation. Whether you create something tangible or intangible, you must receive it. In creating something intangible such as getting the most out of life, make sure what you create continues growing to sustain you in the long run. In other words, create something from which you will receive the fruits of your labor on an ongoing basis.
Regardless of what you create, receive it with appreciation. The more you appreciate what you have created, the more capacity you build to create more in the future.
“When you are not willing to fully receive, you are training the universe not to give to you! It’s simple: if you aren’t willing to receive your share, it will go to someone else who is.” T. Harv Eker (1954-present)
Application in life
“The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating.” John Schaar (1928–2011)
You can adapt the STAR process to anything you wish to create. Let’s look at an example of using the process to create a comfortable retirement.
Step 1. How do you SEE your life five years in the future? How do you see your life when you retire at age _____? How do you see life in your final days?
Visualize it in as much detail as possible, including who will be with you, where you will live, and what you will do. Let it touch your senses — what do you see, smell, hear, touch, and taste? What feelings and emotions will you experience? Don’t rush this step, as clarity is the order of the day. The clearer you see it, the greater your chance of creating it.
Step 2. THINK about how financially secure you wish to be and any other details you can imagine. Develop a plan that will take you toward what you see at the end of your life from a retirement standpoint. Plan as much as possible and fill in what is needed as you journey to a comfortable retirement.
Step 3. What ACTION(s) can you take now and in the long run to achieve the lifestyle you wish to create? In taking deliberate action, you will ultimately create what you want. Take action now without delay. Delay is the surest way to negate your effort to this point.
Step 4. As you RECEIVE (REAP) savings, interest, earnings, growth, and experience in the interim, reinvest it. Reinvesting is crucial to the development of your portfolio and can ultimately lead you to that comfortable, retired lifestyle you desire. It is essential to keep your eye on the ball and make adjustments as needed.
An important part of receiving is appreciating what you create each month and year. The more you appreciate your efforts, the more you value them, and the better the chance you will maintain your course.
Final thoughts
You can create anything you wish using this simple four-step process, including a fuller, more rewarding life. By remembering the STAR acronym whenever you want to create something, you can bet your chances of obtaining what you desire will increase significantly.
As stated, this pattern or process is everywhere. Begin looking for it, and you will find that everything you create involves the foundational steps of seeing, thinking, acting, and receiving. Why not begin mastering the process today?
If you wish to know more about using the STAR approach to create the life you want, pick up a copy of my bestselling book, Uncommon Sense, on Amazon.
Always remember what one of our country’s greatest presidents said:
“The most reliable way to predict the future is to create it.” Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
May you create the future and life you and your loved ones desire!
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