Getting What You Want Scott Shaw

Getting What You Want

Scott Shaw

To begin this discussion we all can agree that everybody wants something. Some people want money, some want fame, and some want power. While others want inner peace, world peace, or to help the less fortunate overcome their limitations.

Even a being whose teaching became as universally embraced as Siddhartha Guatama, the Buddha, wanted something. He wanted enlightenment. This desire set him on his path to obtaining it. And, from his realizations, he made one of the most profound statements ever recorded throughout human history, "The cause of suffering is desire."

Though the Buddha made this statement, and most of us universally agree with its truth, none-the-less, mankind or womankind continues to seek out the gaining of some-thing.

What Do You Want
What do You Want? And, why do you want it? This is the question that must be asked by anyone who walks the path of consciously obtaining their desire. But, here lies one of the primary problems with what people want and why they don't get it. They don't get it because, "They," do not clearly know why they want it.

It is easy to say, "I want more money." "I want to save the world." "I want to be famous." I want love." I want sex." "I want whatever…" But, why do you want it? And, if you get it, what will obtaining it mean?

Now, for some desires it is very clear why you want them. For example, you live in bad conditions and you want to move away from them. Okay, that's understandable. What are you going to do about it?

Which brings up the next complexity on the path to obtaining what you want - action.

We all want something. But, what are you going to do to obtain your desire? And, can that desire even be obtained?

Restrictions and Attributes
The moment we are born, we are all supplied with a set of restriction. These restrictions are based in our physical, psychological, cultural, and socioeconomic makeup. For example, a person born into poverty in India may have the desire to become a Wall Street Powerbroker, but the reality of them obtaining that end goal is fairly impossible.

This is one of the key problems with the desire-full mindset of a person born in the western world. We hear story-upon-story of someone who rose from the depth of society and became highly successful. The common belief is, "If they can do it, why can't I?"

Well, there is a lot of reasons why you can't do it.

The majority of life is based upon luck and the draw of the cards. We are each defined by our life restrictions. Hand-in-hand with these restrictions we are each defined by our life attributes.

Just as we each are provided a set of restrictions, we are also given as set of attributes. Your attributes are defined by the same parameters as your restrictions and more. Here, particularly, personality comes into play.

Many people falsely believe that a person creates their own personality. Though we can guide our own personality to a certain degree, the reality is, we are born with a personality. It is then shaped further by the influences in our early years.

Yes, we each develop our own set of desires. In some cases, these desires may be far from those embraced by our peer group. But, none-the-less, we make these choices defined by the personality we are provided with at birth. For better or worse, that is the truth.

Desire
All this being stated, we each still want what we want. We each have our own desire(s).

To put these desires into a proper context, to see if we can actually get what we want, we must initially come to a clear understanding of the possibilities of achieving said desires are, or we will be cast to a life lived unfulfilled, frustrated, and angry.

Think about it, how many people do you know that have set their goals so high that they can never be achieved and these unfulfilled desires have left them very unhappy at their not being obtained? So, before you set out on a path of desire obtainment, you must clearly define what your desire is and then take a long hard look at yourself and decide whether or not there is an actual chance of you obtaining it.

If there is, go for it. If not, don't. It's as simple as that.

Visualization
Since the beginning of the, "New Age," there have been scores of teachers who have taught the practice of Visualization. In brief, what Visualization promises is that if you focus very hard on what you want, you will get. Well maybe…

But, what is more important to initially look at is the teachers who teach this practice.

As stated we all want something. And, we all want a promise of a way to achieve it. In Visualization, it is promised, all you have to do is see it clearly in you mind's eye and you will achieve it.

Think about it. How many people have written books about Visualization? And, though the techniques in these books vary slightly, they all teach the same thing.

It is similar with Feng Shui. People write books on the subject. They provide all kinds of examples of how this person's life totally changed once they rearranged their home or their business. But, this is just talk. There is no proof of it. And, if the fortunes of person's life did change, was it based on Feng Shui or just an evolving of their destiny?

Again, think about it. How many lectures and seminars have been given on the subjects of Visualization and Feng Shui? Do these authors and lecturers do this for free? No, they do not. They get paid. Some of them get paid a lot of money. So, in reality, you are helping them fulfill their desires of fame and fortune while you buy into the same promise that has been spoken about for generations.

The reality of Visualization is that, yes, if you focus on something it will be clearly defined in your mind. But, if you do not take the physical actions to obtain your goal, it can never be achieved. It is not simply going to magically appear.

Gifts From God
Many people, when they get some object that they truly desire, attribute it to a gift from god. And, maybe it is…

But, the reality of life is, you only appreciate obtaining something if it was what you were looking for. For example, say you want a physical item such as a specific watch. All of a sudden you find that watch very cheap in a store. You are so excited, "Thank you god!" But, think about how many people passed by that very same watch and didn't even notice it. They didn't desire it, so even if they saw it, it would have had no effect on them. But, you desired it, so it is a great gift.

Now, this is the reality of obtaining desires and it is the root source of visualization. You have to want it. So, what do you want?

If you want a specific object, you can probably obtain it. You think about it. You define exactly what you want. You look for it. You save your money. And, you buy it. It is yours. Desire fulfilled.

If you want a person, this is where the whole process becomes sketchy. Why? Because each person has their own set of desires. And, desires change constantly. So, just because you want a person, does not mean that they will want you. Or, just because a person wanted you at one stage of their life, does not mean that they will want you forever.

The moment you bring personality into the equitation, the process of visualization becomes convoluted. Because no matter how much you want a person, if they don't want you, they don't want you.

This is also the problem when people set their eyes on becoming a major movie star, a rock star, or a revered author. Sure, people have done it before. But, just because they have done it, does not mean that you have the luck or karma to do the same thing.

Success in those industries is rarely based upon talent. Success is based primarily upon luck. Plus, so many individuals define the road to success in those industries. And, these individuals are defined by so much ego and desires of their own, that to simply attempt to visualize your way through them is impossible.

Which bring is to defining your desires…

Defining Your Desires
Spiritual teachers will tell you, "Have no desires." But, let's face reality, everybody, even the spiritual teacher, has desires. So, what are you going to do to achieve your desire?

If it's a physical desire: a car, a house, travel to a foreign country, it is pretty easy. Stop screwing around, get a job, save your money and obtain it.

If your desire is another person, be ready to let go of that desire if they do not want you. Do not mess up their life and your life by being a hanger-on. If they want you, they want you. If they don't, they don't. And, nothing is going to change that. Stop lying to yourself that they will come around. Move on to a new desire. Put yourself out there, go to places, go to events, and meet someone who actually appreciates who you are.

If your desire is a grandiose goal: to be a movie star, an award winning filmmaker, a rock star, a novelist, a captain of industry, or whatever, set about on a course to obtaining it. But, do it with the understanding that you will not let that desire dominant your entire existence; because living life in that fashion will destroy you.

Do what you do to achieve your desire. Take classes, get a video camera and make small films, play music, write words. And, most importantly, let people know that you are doing it. The best way to do that is the Internet. As we all understand, the Internet has changed the world.

In other words, DO! Because doing is the ultimate visualization.

Do not sit around hoping, dreaming, believing, focusing, and fantasizing that just because you want something it will happen. It will not. You must DO.

Finally, we all have desires. We can allow our desires to control our entire existence. But, that is a very selfish state of mind. We can allow the not obtaining of them to destroy us. But, that is not the path of consciousness.

But, what we can consciously do is realize that we all want. We all have desires. We can also understand that just because we want, that does not mean that we will get. We can try. But, at the end of the day we each have to realize the truth in the words of the Buddha, "The cause of suffering is desire."

Desire, because that is a condition of life. Desire, but do not be controlled by your desire. Do not allow them to guide you down a path of evil, larceny, or destruction. Because then, all you will ever be defined by is the negative you unleashed.

Desire, but be positive in the obtainment of your desire.

In the process of obtaining it, find a way to give back, to provide, and to positively change the lives of those you encounter as you seek its obtainment. Because then, even if you don't obtain a specific desire, you will have made a contribution, as small as it may be, to the lives of those you encountered and the overall betterment of the world.

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