Creating Your Zihuatanejo
When it comes to creating more peace and joy in our lives, a picture is worth a thousand words. Nowhere is this concept better illustrated than in “The Shawshank Redemption.” In the movie, Andy Dufresne – in prison for a crime he did not commit – visualizes how he will escape to the Mexican resort of Zihuatanejo and rebuild his life. For Andy, Zihuatanejo is far more than just a destination, it’s a vision he clings to as he plans for his freedom.
We all need a Zihuatanejo in our lives, whether that’s a picture of who we want to be, where we want to be or who we want to be with. Here’s how you can create a vision for your own personal Zihuatanejo:
Goals
It’s easy to set goals when you’re faced with problems but, when you’ve already experienced success, you can find yourself wondering how to top what you’ve already achieved. To continue to set inspiring goals, you must have:
- A visual picture of where you want to be
A picture is worth a thousand words. It’s easy to get caught up in the details of how you’re going to achieve a goal. Keeping a physical picture before you focuses you on where you want to get to.
- A deep emotional connection to the goal
Small details create emotional connections and make it real. Start with a vision and then dig deep into what you want. Get into the specific details of who, what, why, when and how.
- An element of service
To really be a leader, you goal should serve others. Ask yourself how you can be of service to someone else. As you shine a light to someone else’s path, it will be a light to your own.
Work
To create your own Zihuatanejo, you must work on your personal growth and self-development.
- Areas to grow in your character
A billion dollars may get you to the top, but it’s character that keeps you there. Where can you grow in character? Remember, small, incremental changes that happen over time have spectacular results in terms of income, influence and success.
- Disciplines and habits to develop
Any pattern of behavior you don’t like, you can choose to change with new disciplines and habits. We are what we repeatedly do, so set intentional, positive patterns for the future.
- Attitude and energy
We all have difficulties in life, whether that’s in relationships, health or finances. If you’re in a challenging place, work to get to the other side. Don’t stop halfway. Build relationships in your personal and professional life; do the small things every day to work the system; and maintain your enthusiasm with coaching, events and positive podcasts like “It’s a Good Life.”
Money
Every dream has a process and a price tag. The process is the work; the price tag is the money. Those who embrace the process and pay the price live the dream, those who don’t just dream.
- Accumulate wealth over time
As Warren Buffet once said, “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” When it comes to wealth accumulation, always think long term.
- Stay the course
Don’t be distracted by market conditions. A good rule of thumb is to only buy something you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for ten years.
- Go big or go home
Commit to your vision. Your Zihuatanejo is within reach, so get in the game and go for it! Listen to the latest episode of “It’s a Good Life” to hear more about creating your own Zihuatanejo.
