One of the biggest discussions I have had with successful people and those that continue to stay disciplined, no matter what their profession, specialty or passion is, is what they do when they don’t feel like doing whatever it is they need to do or know they should do. The most common response and even in my own life is that they do whatever it is whether they want to do it or not.
Success, in no matter what areas you want to succeed in life many times will involve doing things you don’t feel like or don’t want to do. I’ll use myself as an example. Today, I am at work, at the fire station, day 4 of 5 at work, working 120 hours before I go home in total. Today, we had hose testing and training at the station and a ride-along (granted it was my son, but an extra person nonetheless). It was a busy day. I didn’t feel like working out, walking for an hour, lifting and moving my body. So after lunch, I completed my reports and went to the treadmill and walked for an hour, and I didn’t want to. I stepped on the treadmill, and took one step after another and soon, an hour had past. I had walked the three miles I try to get in every day and had watched a show while doing so. Instead of settling down and resting for a bit, I walked. Then, after further training, and running calls, when I was tired mentally, and physically from being day 4 at the station, i sat down for a second. I forced myself to get up, head into the station gym and started lifting weights, Low and behold, I went harder than just going through the motions and got a great lifting session in.
My why- it guides me. Even on days I don’t want to do it, I do it. Even if it means just going through the motions, I do it. Even if I am tired, exhausted, overwhelmed, under rested, I do it. I may not go as hard, I may not go as fast, I may not go as long, but I do it. I do it because I want to be healthy for my family. I do it because I have a 3 year old grandkid that requires me to run around for her spurts of excitement. Lil do it because I want to be around for my family for a long time. I do it because the why is bigger than me.
One of the things I have learned is to allow myself some grace. I used to be intense about everything, and now I am intentional. Successful people are intentional in their actions, but they take action. It doesn’t matter how large or how small as long as you are taking action towards your dream, goal, desires. No matter what they are. Watch the patterns of successful people. Watch how they work when they are tired, when they are energetic, when they are stressed, overwhelmed, underappreciated. They are crazy enough to believe in their dream, passion, desire, their PURPOSE that they continually work towards it, even when they don’t want to.
YOU have the power within you to make what you want become a reality. It simply takes action, many times even when you don’t want to do it.
- Don’t want to get out of the warm bed, do it anyway.
- Don’t want to workout today, do it anyway
- Don’t want to read that book today? Do it anyway.
- Don’t want to study today? Do it anyway.
- Don’t want to make that phone call? Do it anyway
- Don’t want to deal with the challenges? Do it anyway.
Whatever it is in your life that will progress you towards the life you envision, Do it whether you want to do it or not. You’ll thank yourself later.
