If Only I Had X, Y, or Z…

“If only I had X, Y, or Z, then I would…” My wife highlighted this disempowered sentence form to me during a lovely conversation this week. (Thanks, honey!) Some common examples:

• If only I had a better dining room, then I would host more.

• If only I were my ideal weight, then I would upgrade my wardrobe. 

• If only I had a website, then I would get more business. 

The common thread in all of these scenarios (and many more) is that they hold some result hostage to having something else first. In most cases, progress can be made toward the desired result even before the “if” part of the sentence is achieved. You can host more frequently even without remodeling your dining room, you can dress better before losing the weight, and you can generate business without a website. 

This week, I invite you to ask yourself: 

Where in my life might I be holding a certain result hostage to a prior condition? How might I make progress toward the result even before the condition is met? 

God bless,
Dan