There are two types of people: those who have reasons and those who get results. Which kind are you?
Do you have a lot of reasons why you can’t do the things you say you want to do? Or do you focus on finding ways to move forward—no matter what—and, therefore, you get results?
So, do you have reasons or do you have results?
If you’re getting results, you’re probably focused on the reasons why you want results or how you can achieve your goals. If you are not, then your attention is trained on the challenges and obstacles—real or imagined—that stand in the way.
You Want To, But…
A lot of my clients say, “I want to write a book.” Or, “I want to write daily.”
I say, “Okay, fine. So how are you going to do that?”
“I don’t know,” they reply. “I don’t have the time. I don’t have space. I’m too distracted. I have to take care of my kids. I have to take care of my elderly parents. I don’t know how I’m going to do it.”
That’s a heck of a lot of reasons—bad reasons—for not writing every day.
I’ll Find a Way…
On the other hand, my results-oriented, high-performing clients say, “I want the result—a book and the title ‘author.’ I want to have a manuscript done in a year’s time, so I’m going to write every day. I want to accomplish this goal to leave a legacy. I want to tell my story. I want to make a positive and meaningful difference in the world with my words. I have this book idea, and it feels like my purpose to share it—to write the book and get it published. I feel like becoming an author allows me to step into my best self. ”
That’s a heck of a lot of reasons—good reasons—for writing daily.
Don’t Make it Harder to Achieve Your Goals
If you’re not getting the results you desire, you probably see a lot of reasons standing in the way of you and your goal rather than supporting achievement of your goal. The more you convince yourself you can’t, that you have reasons not to, the harder it becomes to do whatever you say you want to do.
For example, you say you want to go to the gym and get healthier, but you keep saying you work 12 hours a day and have no time. You don’t have the bandwidth. You don’t have the energy; you’re too tired.
You Can Find a Way
Someone I know kept saying the same thing: “I don’t have the time. I work too many hours. I’m too tired. I can’t exercise.” He was overweight, not in good shape, and not as healthy as possible.
One day, he saw a picture of himself and he said, “You know what? I don’t like the way I look. Maybe I’ll get in shape.”
The only time he could go to the gym was in the morning before work. Most days he arrived at work at 7:00 a.m. To continue getting to work on time, he decided to wake up at 4:45 a.m. and get to the gym by 5:30 a.m.
He found a way.
People who are results-oriented look for reasons why they need to do something—be healthier, weigh less, look nicer, feel better. That’s the reasons to do it. And because they have a reason, they find a way and get results.
Finding a way involves creating a plan. That’s what this person did. He said, “Okay. The only time I have is first thing in the morning. So now, I not only need to get up earlier, but I also have to go to bed earlier. I’m going to change my habits and my life.
Give Up the Excuses
You can have reasons—reasons you can’t do something—and no solutions. That means you also have no results.
If you get honest with yourself, though, you’ll admit that your reasons are excuses. Bad reasons equate to excuses. Throw out the excuses and start looking for a way to achieve the result you want. That’s when you achieve your goals.
Avoid excuses. Stay focused on the result you want and why you want it (your reason to do it).
4 Steps to Results
How do you do that? Start planning and focusing on what you want. Try following these five steps.
First, at the top of a piece of paper, write your goal.
Second, on one side of the paper record all the reasons why you don’t do what you say you want to do.
Third, on the other side write down the reasons you must do it.
Fourth, create a plan. Look for a way to get your results. Every time you say, “I can’t because…” (your reason not to do it), say, “I can do it in this way.” Devise a solution.
Fifth, visualize the outcome, the result you desire. The more you can see and feel what it will be like to have accomplished your goal, the higher your aspiration level. You won’t want to be where you are now…you’ll want to get where you are going.
With a results mindset, you’ll find it much easier to move forward. You’ll feel emotionally connected to your “why,” and as you discover ways to accomplish your goal, you’ll feel more motivated as well.
And the results you achieve will inspire you to maintain your new mindset.
Is your attention on reasons or results?
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