Why Greatness Is A Choice
Les Brown shares, “Greatness is a choice; it’s not our destiny.” Studies show that only 10% of people read past the first chapter of a book and only 10% complete any type of self-improvement program. Indeed, by the third week of January over 90% of New Year’s resolutions are broken.
For many people the reason is the road to someday. “Someday I will make the change, someday when…” However, someday never arrives because it can always be put off again and again.
What drives real and lasting change is having a big enough ‘why’ to make the change right now. Without a compelling driving force most people will simply fall back on old patterns, even ones that no longer serve them.
A major piece of success is building enough reasons why change needs to begin immediately. For every goal you make you should have a written page describing in vivid detail why this goal is important to you, what you will gain by reaching this goal, and what you will lose by not reaching it.
A date on a calendar is not enough of a reason to make a change; however a compelling future described in writing, filled with emotion and feeling can be just the fuel you will need to propel yourself to the next level.
It is important to consider the consequence our actions (or lack thereof) will have on others. Jim Rohn shares that instead of thinking, “I will take care of you and you take care of me,” it is better to say, “I will take care of me for you, and you take care of you for me.”
Just like the pebble dropped in the pond that creates ripples across the water, our decisions impact others, for better or worse. If we take into consideration how improving ourselves brings benefits to others, we begin to understand that we make a difference not only in our lives but in the lives of those we care about.
Take health for example. When you are filled with energy you are more present and loving with your family. When you are drained and stressed and sluggish from a lack of exercise and from eating a poor diet, you are more irritable and impatient. Why not begin taking care of you for the people that will benefit from your success?
Greatness lies within you, but you must awaken it, you must forget about someday and seize today. Make a list of how your life will be different if you succeed, then make a list of how the people you know (and even people you don’t know) will benefit if you succeed. That picture can be a reality. You simply have to begin today.