I love this story because it’s a bit quirky and, for many people, “unusual.” I thought I’d share it in case it might inspire someone to dare to believe they can make something happen.
Many people know about my wallet-finding “knack” (88 wallets found and counting as of today’s date). But this story isn’t about wallets—it’s about something I hold even dearer: specificity.
The Setup
Many years ago, as a new sales rep selling radio advertising, I met a great guy named Richard. Richard owned a cool bar and restaurant here in Christchurch (this story is pre-earthquake, back in the early to mid-1990s).
Richard was a passionate fly fisherman. I was just learning to fly-fish.
After a sales call or two, I somehow managed to get invited to go heli-fishing with Richard to a secret, special spot. OMG, I could not believe it!
It took some serious wrangling—negotiating time off work, arranging my share of the helicopter cost (about a third of a month’s income at the time, covered with a post-dated cheque to coincide with payday). It was no small feat to organize, but it was a dream adventure. I had never done anything like this before.
The List
Richard gave me a list of MUST-HAVES for the trip. This included things like a backpack, tin plate, tin mug, knife, fork, spoon, torch, spare batteries, sleeping bag, clothes changes, wet weather gear, candles, hiking boots, etc. The list filled an entire A4 page.
One key item he said to bring was a ‘ground roll’ to sleep on.
I didn’t have one. Neither did anyone I knew.
The Challenge
After negotiating time off (the trip was the next day! And mid-week, so I had to get permission from the boss), I quickly set about gathering everything on the list.
Here’s the thing: there was never as much as a moment’s hesitation or doubt about having everything on that list. Not once.
Bear in mind, at that time in New Zealand, shops shut at 5 PM sharp. You literally could not buy batteries after 5 PM (or on weekends, for that matter! Irrelevant to the story, but true).
By 5 PM, I had most of the list completed. Mum and Dad had some items I could borrow, but I still didn’t have a ground roll.
The Magic Moment
The girl I was dating at the time was with me as I drove around gathering items for the trip. At about 8 PM, I was driving to Richard’s house to scout the location—I wanted to know exactly where to go the next morning at 5:30 AM. (I’ve never been good with maps or directions, so doing this reconnaissance the night before was essential to ensure I was on time!)
As we drove to Richard’s, my friend asked me for the second or third time: “What is a ground roll again, and where are you going to get one now that all the shops are shut?”
She had no camping experience and couldn’t visualize what I needed.
I explained once again what a ground roll was, and said, “Don’t worry… I’ll take care of it.”
THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE STORY. I had no idea HOW I would get a ground roll or make it happen. But I knew I wanted everything on that list, and I was totally focused on making it happen.
Ten minutes later, she asked again: “What is a ground roll?”
I started to explain… then said, “It’s, it’s, it’s… ONE OF THOSE!”
And there, on the shoulder of the road as we were driving, was a ground roll. Just lying there on the side of the road.
Yep—literally just lying on the side of the road.
Uncle Leo’s Legacy
This ground roll belongs to Uncle Leo (you can see the name in the close-up photo). I’ve been “borrowing” it now for about 30 years.
One day, I know I’ll meet Leo—or whoever gave him this ground roll—and I’ll be so delighted to give it back to its rightful owner!
It was very new when I found it. It’s been well taken care of and is a core component of my camping kit… one I’ll be happy to relinquish to its rightful owner when the time comes.
What Is Specificity?
So… specificity. What is it? How does it work?
Here’s what I’ve learned:
- Know exactly what you want/need/desire
- Write it down
- Take action to make it happen
- You don’t need to know HOW it will happen
- Only that it can and will… if you believe that to be true and focus on it
Specificity works on both sides of the coin, so yes—if we focus on negative things, we can cause and attract those too. The key, I believe, is that we attract and cause whatever we focus on and give our thoughts, energy, and belief to.
So be mindful about that. 🙂
Your Turn
I’d love to hear your story about specificity. I know this happens to all of us in different ways!
Have you ever experienced a moment where exactly what you needed appeared when you focused on it with complete certainty? Share your story—because these moments of “coincidence” are happening all around us, all the time.
What will you choose to focus on today?
