What do you focus on and spend most of your time thinking about? The things you want in your life? Or the things you don't want? Whatever it is you focus on, that's what you'll find will appear in your life.

When we focus on negative things, or things we definitely want to avoid in our life, often it's these very things that appear just at the worst possible moment. By giving so much attention and concentration to avoiding them, we actually create stronger pictures in our heads of how these unwanted events look and unknowingly and subconsciously move closer towards making them actually happen.

Think back to when you were a child or when you've heard other children being told "Don't spill any of that drink on the floor!" only to see seconds later Mum's new carpet decorated in a vibrant shade of blackcurrant!

So what are some of the ways you can use your natural creativity to more effectively focus on what you do want?

One way is to create a pictorial vision for your ideal life. Get a large piece of paper and in the centre write "My Happy Life" or something similar. Draw, write, paint, stick pictures on, whatever excites and inspires you the most, to create a complete picture of your ideal or best possible life.

Put in every element you can think of and describe in as much detail as possible, using words and pictures. Take the time to make it personal, motivating and inspiring.

Spend a few minutes each day revisiting and absorbing your picture. You may want to stick it on a prominent wall. Add to it occasionally if you wish or re-create a new version when you want to. Make it yours and unique to you.

Every time you look at this picture you want to feel excited and motivated and for it to naturally influence and guide you in taking the right actions to move you towards the life you want.

Another way of focusing on what you want is to create your own internal movie. Think carefully about a particular outcome you want to happen in an area of your life. Then, in your mind, picture yourself going through the event and it being as successful as possible.

Again get every detail - what are you seeing, hearing and feeling?

Play your "Success Movie" through as many times as you can. Each time you play it, you'll create stronger images and be more likely to achieve the outcome you want.

A way to make this even more powerful is to play the same movie but from the point of the director, rather than in the lead role. From thisnew objective third person view, Notice everything you do (in the lead role) and adjust it as necessary to give the best possible outcome.

Once you're happy with the changes, return to playing your movie from first person perspective again.

Again, by playing it over repeatedly, you'll strengthen the images in your mind and increase what you achieve. And, by not focusing on any of the outcomes you don't want, you'll naturally avoid them too.

Copyright 2006 Dan Goodwin.