"Don't get caught up in the how of things. If you're clear on what you want to change and why you want to change it, the how will come. Many significant things have been left undone because someone let the problem solving interfere with the decision-making." - Michael Angier

We are repeatedly told of the necessity to plan. "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail", "Plan your work, work your plan" etc.

In terms of goalsetting and achieving goals, when people talk of planning, they generally mean:

1. You set your goals

2. You make a plan for achieving your goals

This, for us, is putting things upside down. And we are going to put things right back on their feet.

If planning is really necessary, it is much more UPSTREAM, i.e. BEFORE goalsetting - you decide what you want, when, where, how you are going to "affirm and visualize", than DOWNSTREAM i.e. AFTER goalsetting - how you are going to achieve your goals.

This "upstream planning" is generally not considered as planning. It is normally called "decision-making": You decide WHAT, explore the reasons WHY, and organize your affirming and visualizing activity (time, place etc.)

This is different from planning :

For example if your goal is to buy a house in 1 year's time, you would be planning for HOW to achieve you goal (save, invest, work more etc.)

Now I am going to shock you with one little-known success mindset secret: once you know exactly what you want, visualization is more important - even more necessary - than planning, in other words, thinking about how you are going to enjoy whatever you want once you get it is more important - even more necessary - than thinking about how to get it in the first place!

Visualization is much more productive, much more efficient, much more motivational and inspirational than planning. Besides, it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

Once (and even before) you've set your goals, FAITH is also much more important than planning.

Planning is in inverse proportion to faith: the stronger your faith, the less necessary it is for you to plan.

If you really have faith, you don't need any planning (another "shocking" statement!)

Let us simply say that planning is only good inasmuch as you need to be reassured that what you want is really possible or what you want to do is really feasible.

The truth about planning is that it only causes limitations, in that lots of possibilities outside the plan are not even considered.

So, just state whatever it is that you want and don't worry too much about HOW you are going to get it, because there are always far more ways than you could ever plan for, or even imagine.

Focus on what you want and keep your mind open to the idea that there are always other ways.

Focus on your goal and obstacles will disappear, because "obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal" (E-Joseph Crossman).

The best way to get rid of obstacles is to keep your eyes on your goal.

Now, you may ask: " Won't you trip and fall if you concentrate too much on your goal and forget to look where you're walking?"

Here is my answer to your question: " If you have enough faith, you don't WALK to your goal, you FLY over all possible obstacles, straight to your goal"

So, affirm, visualize, and receive: if you have enough faith, failure is impossible!

A.M.Sall - author, coach, success mindset philosopher

A 30+year experience - translator, teacher, traveler, musician, writer, plus crosscultural awareness, worldwide ancient spiritual traditions... Success Mindset Philosopher A.M.Sall helps you "be whatever you want to be and get whatever you want to get ". http://www.health-beauty-wellness.com/avr.htm