What is happening with me? Help!

17 replies
Hi,

I don't know what's going on with me. Yesterday I did an excercise in the book "How to get lots of money for anything, fast" by Stuart Lichtman (and Joe Vitale I think).
The excercise was like this:

- Write out your goal on a piece of paper, by hand 100 times.

I did that...it took my about 10 hours. So basically, I sat down and wrote out a full-page of my goal for 10 straight hours. Trust me, it took a lot of discipline (which I have built up really good the last year or so).

But after I was done something strange happened..I felt terrible. I got overwhelmed with anxiety, and it just won't go away (this is the day after). I'm shaking in my hands, I'm cold sweating, my heart is racing and I feel confused/can't focus.

I can't work, I can't do anything. I feel absolutely shit.
It's also getting even more stressful since I have my habits that I need to do (copy great ads for 1 hours per day, visualize my goals etc)...but I can't do these either..when I work, I just get overwhelmed with even more anxiety.

I've come to the conclusion that my unconcious didn't really like the goal I set for it, so it's showing it to me by giving me a huge load of anxiety.
I've tried to change my goal to a much simpler one and started to write that one instead, but no help.

What should I do??

I have deadlines I need to meet and a lot of work to be done.
Actually, before I did this excercise I had the same goal in my mind but I was absolutely sure that I could achieve it. I felt happy and eager to pursue it. Now I'm not sure of anything anymore.

Please help.
#happening
  • Profile picture of the author Gary Boardman
    Hey Stolpioni,

    Have you ever heard the phrase you cannot eat an elephant?
    Sometimes when we have huge goals, they can be overwhelming.
    We need to break them down into bite-size chunks that we can easily digest.
    Your subconscious may feel that too many of the goals that you wrote down will not be achieved tomorrow or even this week.
    I.E. Too many long term goals or just not enough short term goals.

    I am sure you know that it is important to have long, medium and short term goals.
    And that you should always start by writing your long term goals first and your short term last.
    Your main focus should be on what you can realistically achieve this week and much more importantly, tomorrow.

    Break them down again, plan tomorrow today, give yourself an hourly plan. and time between each task for breaks, you will find your anxiety will lift and you will have a clear plan of action for tomorrow and for the rest of the week.

    I really hope this helps you.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232378].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author svedski
      Originally Posted by Gary Boardman View Post

      Hey Stolpioni,

      Have you ever heard the phrase you cannot eat an elephant?
      Sometimes when we have huge goals, they can be overwhelming.
      We need to break them down into bite-size chunks that we can easily digest.
      Your subconscious may feel that too many of the goals that you wrote down will not be achieved tomorrow or even this week.
      I.E. Too many long term goals or just not enough short term goals.

      I am sure you know that it is important to have long, medium and short term goals.
      And that you should always start by writing your long term goals first and your short term last.
      Your main focus should be on what you can realistically achieve this week and much more importantly, tomorrow.

      Break them down again, plan tomorrow today, give yourself an hourly plan. and time between each task for breaks, you will find your anxiety will lift and you will have a clear plan of action for tomorrow and for the rest of the week.

      I really hope this helps you.
      Thanks!

      I already have day-to-day goals etc, all of which are very reasonable.
      I was well on my way to achieve every single one of them, until I did this excercise.
      I realize that I asked too much of myself, and it probably wasn't a good idea.

      The goal I wrote down was for 5 months ahead.

      The trouble now however is how to erase that goal. Since I spent 10 hours writing out my goal (100 times by hand...100 pages of notes), it went deeply into my subconscious. As soon as I think about that goal now (even though I've erased all the hard parts and just kept the very basic and easy stuff), I still get massivly overwhelmed and anxious.

      This never happened when I just read the goal to myself a couple of times before bed, and a couple of times after waking up. But something happened when I wrote it down.


      Originally Posted by Khalifa Malih View Post

      stolpioni, I share your feeling of anxiety becoming overwhelmed,
      I know this has been suggested a lot before but mate.

      When you get these feeling back-up try drinking a bererage, think of something positive that will be lucrative and helps you develop your skills towards a successful future. Good luck!!!
      This is not the typical overwhelming feelings you can get. This is much more intense.
      But thanks for the tip!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232418].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Gary Boardman
        Originally Posted by stolpioni View Post

        Thanks!

        The goal I wrote down was for 5 months ahead.

        The trouble now however is how to erase that goal. Since I spent 10 hours writing out my goal (100 times by hand...100 pages of notes), it went deeply into my subconscious. As soon as I think about that goal now (even though I've erased all the hard parts and just kept the very basic and easy stuff), I still get massivly overwhelmed and anxious.
        You will need to write down this months goals using the same method in order to push your short term goals further into your subconscious. This will over-ride the anxiety you are feeling.

        Hope this Helps you
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232562].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Khalifa Malih
    stolpioni, I share your feeling of anxiety becoming overwhelmed,
    I know this has been suggested a lot before but mate.

    When you get these feeling back-up try drinking a bererage, think of something positive that will be lucrative and helps you develop your skills towards a successful future. Good luck!!!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232380].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    You CAN eat an elephant....one bite at a time.
    Signature

    Cheers, Laurence.
    Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232492].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Gary Boardman
      Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

      You CAN eat an elephant....one bite at a time.
      That is what I was trying to say
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232547].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author maark
      Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

      You CAN eat an elephant....one bite at a time.
      Why would you eat an elephant? :confused:
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232596].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
        Originally Posted by maark View Post

        Why would you eat an elephant? :confused:
        Why not? They are nutritious.
        Signature

        Cheers, Laurence.
        Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232638].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author btchristopher
    it sounds like you want it too much and are putting too much pressure on yourself. you have an emotional attachment to the outcome. try to relax and convince yourself that if you happen to not get what you want its not the end of the world. try to focus on the doing and the being, and let the having/getting take care of itself.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232530].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    this is a weird thread
    Signature

    Cheers, Laurence.
    Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232633].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author svedski
    Thanks ya'll.

    What I'm going to do is take two or three days time off. During this time I'm not going to work out, not read my goals, eat whatever I want and not work a bit.

    Hopefully that can clear my mind a bit and give me some new energy...I realize I haven't taken a day off in at least a year.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8232748].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Samsmiles
      Originally Posted by stolpioni View Post

      Thanks ya'll.

      What I'm going to do is take two or three days time off. During this time I'm not going to work out, not read my goals, eat whatever I want and not work a bit.

      Hopefully that can clear my mind a bit and give me some new energy...I realize I haven't taken a day off in at least a year.
      Hi Stolpioni

      I know just how you feel.

      PM me and I will send you 2 things that have helped me get rid of those feelings.

      This offer goes for anyone else who is interested.

      It's all in the mind!

      Prosperity

      Dave
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8233992].message }}
      • The revelation of having driven yourself so intensely for over a year without a break is enlightening. You were about to crack up. I am glad you came to the forum with your issue to investigate what caused your extreme anxiety.

        Sounds like you finally identified what you needed to do to get free of this self created anxious monster. Good for you! I hope your time off was just what the doctor ordered.

        LLS
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8234040].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Tudor
      The process you described in the beginning sounds familiar.. I went through it once many years back, and applied it to a goal I thought was important to me at the time. Interestingly enough, I did not achieve that goal; actually, I failed miserably and it took a few years to realize that there was a huge disconnect between the goal I had in mind and the way I intended to achieve it. The goal was good... but the way in which I intended to achieve it was something that was bad for me (at the time I was in the corporate world and was looking to advance rapidly). Why was it bad? That's a longer story.
      The point I'm trying to make here is that there might be a disconnect between the goal and the way in which you're planning to achieve it, or anything else that's attached to it.
      Let me make up a scenario. Let's say you set a goal of putting together a membership site that will bring you an income of <insert crazy amount of money here>. Let's say being that successful will make some people jealous and you'll run the risk of losing a friendship that you're very attached to.
      Even though you haven't investigated your feelings related to some painful consequences of your success, it doesn't mean they're not there.
      Anyway, what I put together is just a scenario... yours may be different.
      Just my 2 cents worth.

      Whenever panic sets in, take a few deep breaths; try to meditate daily. Just plain meditation, to clear your mind of *everything*.
      And if you spend a lot of time listening to the news, I'd take a break from that too.
      Sometimes other sources of stress may exacerbate your feelings overwhelmed.

      Have a great day,
      Tudor
      Originally Posted by stolpioni View Post

      Thanks ya'll.

      What I'm going to do is take two or three days time off. During this time I'm not going to work out, not read my goals, eat whatever I want and not work a bit.

      Hopefully that can clear my mind a bit and give me some new energy...I realize I haven't taken a day off in at least a year.
      Signature
      Free report - learn how I rank on first page in the Kindle store for a competitive search term.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8237015].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Joe Ray
    Hi Stolpioni, you asked for help in your OP so I will try to help you.

    Setting goals is about the worst thing you can do to your self. However, if you really have to do it, you should set only one goal and that is to enjoy your life and be happy right now.

    I suggest you write this down on a piece of paper: "In the concrete immediacy of the present moment I am grateful to experience life's dynamic flow". Just write it one time and try to experience this.

    Setting goals to be accomplished in the future will destroy your life today. Goals are nothing but illusions, dreams, absolutely nothing to do with reality. You can not control the future, simply because the future does not exist.

    I walked by a barber shop and I noticed a sign: "All Haircuts Are Free Tomorrow" This sign was always in the window, you think anyone ever got fee haircut there?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8235019].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author werpetalpushers
    Hang in there! Things can seem overwhelming at times, so it's best to take things one step at a time. Set both small and large goals for yourself! I'm sure you will accomplish great things!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8235266].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    I think I know what your problem is.

    You consciously know that you can achieve your income goal but since you don't posses it yet, you are scared of all the work and time that you need to achieve the goal.

    You want your goal now.

    Maybe deep down, in your subconsciously mind, you don't think that you can achieve it no matter what you do.

    Don't set the goal just yet. Just take action and test to see which actions work for you and which ones don't. Then when you know that something is working and is getting you results, only then you should set your goals and the time frame to achieve them.

    Also know this:

    It is OK not to achieve your goal in the time frame that you set for yourself.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8236038].message }}

Trending Topics