I know people who are extremely intelligent and have consumed more how-to books in a year than most people will read in their lifetime. Yet they are still in the same spot they were 5 years ago. Why? Because they never implement the actions the books outline!
Everywhere you turn you can hear people lavishing praise on the act reading a books, reading articles, and educating yourself. But let me tell you something:
BOOKS AND INFORMATION ARE AN ABSOLUTE WASTE OF TIME IF YOU NEVER ACT ON WHAT THEY TEACH YOU!
I’m sure you have heard of “analysis paralysis.”
This enslaves many people – especially perfectionists and those who are afraid to fail at anything. So what happens? They succeed at NOTHING … nothing significant anyway. Because significant success usually requires frequent failure.
“To do” lists are worthless if they never turn into “done” lists. Telling yourself “just do it” can’t compare to hearing yourself say “just did it.”
Let’s talk about “Just do it”. Yes, the popular Nike slogan. Why did it catch on so well? Probably because it is so needed. I remember working with a client in Coppell who was whining about her lack of energy and the burn during an exercise, stalling rep after rep. “Just do it already!” was all I could say. It was all that needed to be said. In the blink of an eye, her entire demeanor changed – and she did it. She did it intensely. And she got it done, as well as the rest of the workout. By the way, she thanked me later.
What’s my point? Sometimes we don’t need as much information as we think we do, but rather a kick in the butt or a slap in the face. I’m not talking about physical violence. But I am talking about a “wake-up call.” I have been working with people for a while, and wouldn’t you know when people come to me most? During the “wake-up call” moments their life:
– a marriage
– a birth
– a divorce
– a death
Why do we wait for these things before we start to take control of ourselves?
Being in great shape can help you better find a mate.
Being healthy before you have a baby will give you a better baby.
Being at optimal health could save your marriage from divorce.
Being in great shape can prolong your life.
But what do we do?
We wait.
We wait ’til we’ve set a date to get married
We wait ’til after the baby is born
We wait until the divorce papers are signed
We wait until the doctor predicts our death
Look, you can bad mouth the hare from the “tortoise and the hare” story all you want, but at least the hare was in the race and left the starting line! Go fast with some breaks. Go slow and steady. For the love of God, just make sure you GO!
Many of us either sit in the stands or sit at the starting line. Let me give you a piece of advice: don’t wait until you hear the starting gun to run! There isn’t one in life. Each person starts the race toward their goals whenever they start moving in that direction. And guess what? They often finish in the same order. Some make it across the line in time. Some run out of years. My suggestion? GET MOVING!!!
