Following your heart's desire

This matters because this is where your motivation really lies. You can do the things that your head tells you would be a good thing. But if your heart's really in it, things will be easy - you'll want to do them

I've struggled with this bit - I know it's important but am still not sure about what advice to offer. If you have any advice to offer me you can either email me alex@3wishesforthefuture.com or write to me at PO Box 46873, London SW11 5YL

Thinking about this started with my weekly list of things to be done. I am good at writing lists of things to be done, but less good at doing them. Some things disappear from the list immediately. Others things linger, even if getting them done will make life easier and it would be sensible to get them out of the way. I asked myself why this was and got the answer 'because your heart's not in it'. I realised that this went beyond the list and was true of much in life.

When you know what you really want and your heart is in it then life is less effortful, things happen.

But how to work out what you really want - it sounds so simple but feels so difficult.

Some thoughts on how to recognise what your heart desires

Heart (or instinct, intuition, hunch or gut) is what you really want
- It often seems to be about listening and feeling (rather than looking)
- it's about understanding what you feel and not just what you know
- it's often quieter and smaller than other things that are pressing for your attention and may take some time to find out
- give it a bit of time and space - hearts don't respond well to performance deadlines
- you may not be able to see it at the beginning - we live in an image driven world but it seems as though the heart works to an older beat. When you know what your heart's desire is, then visualising it is very powerful - but you need to know the feeling before you can do the picture.

The head means well - but is not always good at wishing

Your head can mislead - it is often too distant and proper - what you 'ought' to do. It may have been influenced by what other people think you should be doing and you have politely listened and taken their views on board. But sometimes you've been too good at that ….

Follow your head and you get to goals, objectives and to do lists - very useful for the things you don't really want to do but have to do. Follow your head and you may end by bullying yourself with deadlines. This can be useful (particularly when it comes to bills, tax returns and the like) - but it's not wishing. We all have to do some of the sensible head stuff, but you deserve your heart's desires too.