Make An Agreement with the Universe Make an Agreement with Yourself

Have you ever been a Boy Scout while you were in school? If you have, you will know that the Scouts’ Law has 12 point in it, each of which is a goal for the scout, and he tries to live up to it every day, even though it may not always be easy. A scout is supposed to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.

A scout makes a pledge, called the Scouts Oath, by saying, ” On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”

In daily life, people use phrases like We’ll see, I’ll do my best and I’ll try when they are hesitant or unsure if they can do something. Words like I promise and I give you my word turn an intention into a commitment. The person now feels bound by his own words to carrying out that action.

A written commitment is often preferred to a verbal one when the consequences of not doing something are serious, or where the stakes are high. Business dealings, partnerships, rent agreements, sale deeds and sometimes marriages come with legally binding written commitments, with the consequences clearly spelt out.

Yet we know that even putting a commitment on paper is not a guarantee that it will be followed. Psychologists call this the planning fallacy. A related concept from psychology is the planning fallacy People have the tendency to view future events in abstract terms and thus exaggerate abstract benefits such as “if I exercise I will feel good about myself” but underestimate realistic obstacles, such as “exercise hurts.” It seems we are not very good at predicting what our future self will do. The decision to stop smoking is easily subverted by the temptation of just one last cigarette.

The spiritual guru Deepak Chopra lists five reasons why people fear making a commitment, and offers advice on what to do about it.

1.  Fear of looking bad before others. Many people are worried about what others will think of them. Be willing to forget how you look. When a marathon runner usually crosses the finish line he is drenched in sweat, straining with the effort. At that moment, he does not care how he looks. Focus on your own passionate commitment to your Goals and you will not worry about your image.

2.  Fear of failure. Perhaps the fear ridicule or humiliation is so great that they’d rather not take the action than risking failure. Reassure your scared self, let yourself feel the giddy thrill of success. If things go a bit wrong, tell yourself that it’s all right — and move on.

3. Fear of being seen to fail. Other people’s disapproval becomes your shame. Remind yourself that their opinions reflect their beliefs about what is good and bad, not yours.

4. Fear of pain. The pain referred to here is psychological rather than physical. Those who have suffered the pain of failure in the past sometimes avoid commitment to avert fresh pain. But the universe is not concerned with either your pain or your pleasure; both will come and go as long as you live. Practices such as meditation and mindful awareness help you cultivate the detachment you will need to carry out your Goals.

5. Fear of taking on too much. In reality, what drains energy most is the act of holding back. The more you try to conserve your energy, the more it dwindles. Paradoxically, the more you give, the more energy you have. When you commit yourself passionately to Goals, you’ll notice that the more energy you devote to it, the more energy you have.

How to make an agreement with the universe

The Chinese philosopher Confucius said, “When my hand moves, the universe moves with it.” The act of making a written agreement with the universe will open floodgates of opportunity you never knew existed. Your hesitation will disappear, replaced by solid intention, confidence and energy. When you reach out to the universe, it will reach out back to you, and you will attract resources that will speed you on your life’s journey.

Here are the steps to follow —

1. Buy legal paper: Buy a sheet of notarized legal agreement paper, which costs less than Rs. 10.

2. Create a draft: On plain paper, write a draft of your Agreement with the Universe. Remember, this is where you will be burning all your bridges, abandoning all doubt and hesitation, putting aside your Plan B’s, and sincerely committing to give your best and your 100% all to achieving your stated Goals. You could use the draft below as a template or model, but the final words must be your own, and should reflect your personal commitment.

With this Agreement, I, ________, align myself with the Universe around me, and commit with all my heart to devote all of my time, energy and resources to achieving my stated Vision, Mission and Goals as long as I live.

With this Agreement, I renounce hesitation and doubt, and embrace hope, confidence and purpose to do for myself all the things I have promised to in the course of my life.

I commit to continue with dedication and without compromise until I achieve what I set out for myself and my life moves as I have planned on the road I have chosen, illuminated by success in all and every endeavor.

1. Add a paragraph about giving back: If you like, you could add a paragraph about what you would like to give back to society. This should be specific and measurable — such as 10% of my wealth once I have met my needs.

4. Share a copy with a friend (optional): Once you are satisfied, copy this to the legal paper, sign it and get it notarized. If you feel comfortable with the idea of sharing a copy of this with a close friend or confidant, feel free to do so. Studies show that disclosing a commitment in some public way increase its ability to bind you to it. However, this is optional; for some just the act of writing this Agreement and signing it will become like a personal contract with oneself.

You are now ready to prepare your mind for the next step: creating the detachment you need to accomplish your Goals in the most efficient, optimal way possible.