What if I told you, that no matter how hard you try, statistics show that you will only follow through on 30% of your intentions. That’s right, no matter how hard you might try, the research points to the fact that you will only accomplish 3 out of the 10 things you say you want to do.
I know…it’s shocking, and somewhat disheartening.
Think about it for a minute. How many things have you started in your personal life and in your business, where you had good intentions, but just didn’t have enough staying power to finish…to actually make it to the end zone!
You see, it’s actually not your fault. The cards are stacked against you…and the faster you recognize this, the faster you will be able to move your business forward. While there are many things that will keep you from accomplishing your goals, there are basically 3 major obstacles that most people must overcome. These obstacles fall into the following categories.
1) Habits that don’t serve you well. You don’t plan out your day. You wait until the last minute to do things. You set unrealistic expectations. You overcommit and promise to do too much. You forget what you promise.
2) Deciding what’s really important. Have you ever said you will do something, intended to do it, but never did? It just was not a high enough priority. Procrastination is all about priorities—unfortunately, most people never realize that. If something is a priority, you do it. Plain and simple.
3) Negative Self-Talk. This is an unconscious trap that plagues everyone to one degree or another. Have you ever talked yourself out of something? Have you ever done something against your better judgment? Have you ever stopped short of success? I used to, but not anymore.
It’s Time For Your Reality Check.
If any of the following examples of bad habits, priorities, and self-sabotage fit you, make a mental note. It is a good exercise to help you look seriously at what you are doing—or not doing.
- A friend’s birthday is coming. You think it would be nice to surprise him or her with a card, but you don’t add it to your to-do list and you never buy the card.
- You want to attend a concert when you see an announcement in your email. You think about ordering tickets, but you don’t. You miss the concert.
- You start your day or week with a list of things you want to accomplish, and look back frustrated that it just didn’t happen.
- You buy a new book, but you choose to sit in front of the television instead of reading the book.
- Flossing prevents gum disease, but you don’t floss on a regular basis.
- You vowed to play golf last summer with an old friend. But now it is almost a year later.
- You know that fresh foods are better tasting and more nutritious, but you still eat that “junk” because it’s easier.
- You belong to a fitness club, but you don’t attend on a regular basis. Your belly is getting bigger and your belt longer.
- You set goals and then forget about them.
- You don’t even set goals.
If you see your pattern here, then it is time to do something new.
When I meet with a prospective client, and ask what it would mean if those items were no longer issues, without hesitation they usually say, “It would be like living in a perfect world. I would be happy just resolving just a few of them. I’d love to be that motivated, disciplined, organized, or whatever. What do I need to do?”
If you honestly want to do something about it, then you have to DO SOMETHING or else things will stay the same. Wishing or hoping about it will not work.
The good news is that there is something that can work for you, because it has worked for hundreds of others. Learn what every single professional athlete and all highly successful business leaders have learned…
You can’t take your skill and/or profession to the next level without a good friend, advisor, or coach who will hold you accountable (and I mean really hold accountable, with tough love if necessary).
These people will help you accomplish the things you just can’t accomplish on your own.
#1: Help you to change your bad habits and behaviors.
#2: Help you to adjust your priorities to get high value things done today, and every day…on time.
#3: Help you to eliminate the negative self-talk and self-sabotage that keeps you stuck.
While some people have extraordinary self-discipline and control, most of us don’t. You really do need “super-powers” to change bad habits and behaviors, and most people are just not wired that way.
If you want 2017 to possibly be your best year ever, and you have a friend or advisor who can be your accountability partner, you should reach out to them. On the other hand, if you’d like to explore what it would be like to work with a professional coach, I’d be happy to spend a few minutes with you on the phone explaining how the coaching process works.