What is it that you really want in your life? To get back in a bikini for the first time in years? To start your own business that you’ve been thinking about forever? To go back to school so you can get that job you really want? Whatever that goal is for you, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself, “How badly do I really want this?” Chances are, if you don’t currently have what you want, you really don’t want it THAT badly. Your desire just isn’t strong enough. It just doesn’t mean enough to you, no matter what you say. Actions speak louder than words. If your desire were strong enough, you would be doing everything in your power to achieve it.
For example, let’s say you’re overweight. Why is that the case? Most likely it’s because you consume more calories than you burn. (I heard you just say, “Duh Mike!”) Well, if you know this in your mind, why have you chosen to do this? It comes down to all the little decisions you make throughout the day. It starts when your alarm goes off at 6am (when you’re supposed to go running). You have a choice of either getting up and going running, or hitting the snooze button and going back to sleep. It continues when you choose not to prepare a healthy breakfast for yourself and instead just eat a donut or two at work and wash it down with a high-calorie coffee drink. It continues at lunch when you choose the triple bacon cheeseburger combo with fries and a sugary soda instead of the chicken sandwich, small salad and a diet soda. I could go on forever, but you get the point. When you REALLY want something badly, you consciously make the right decisions for your life on a consistent basis.
In every moment, you have a choice. Choose the option that gets you closer to what you want. Nobody said it was easy. Going back to my previous example, when that alarm goes off at 6am, the easy thing to do is to hit the snooze button and rationalize to yourself why you don’t need to go running today. That’s why most people don’t get up and do it. The successful person may not feel like running in that moment. But they know that being in shape is important to them and their health, so they get up and go running anyway. That’s how badly they want it.
If being successful at anything were easy, everyone would be successful. It takes work. It takes the discipline to make the right choices. And it takes persistence to just keep going until you get where you want to be. If you have a bad day, don’t quit. Make the next moment better. Make the next day better. Remember why you’re doing what you’re doing. Focus on the goal and how great it will feel when you achieve it. Remember how badly you want it, and just don’t give up! You WILL get there.