What’s the one thing you’ve always wanted to do?

Stop right there.
What was the first thing that came to mind before you started telling yourself you couldn’t achieve it?
That’s the thing I want you to focus on…the first thing that came to mind.

Now, why aren’t you doing it?
Or let me phrase it this way, what reason have you been telling yourself explaining why you aren’t doing what you truly want to do?

One reason, more than likely is fear.
Fear of failure.
Fear of what others may think.
Fear of the “what ifs.”

The other reason you may not be pursuing what you’ve always wanted to do is, you’re not willing to do the work. The key word in this phrase is “willing,” because we have the free will to do virtually anything we want to do. Our favorite excuse for not moving forward is, “I don’t have time.” My dad had a saying that I’ve added to over the years.  He said, “people find money for things they want to buy.”  I added, “people find time for things they want to do.”

It’s just that simple.
If you are willing to do the work, you can achieve whatever you set out to do.  Now before you start arguing with me about what is and isn’t obtainable due to your circumstances, hear me out.

When you wanted to take that vacation or buy that designer handbag or spend more time with your family, you found a way to do it. You were willing to sacrifice other things to get that vacation or handbag.  You were willing to sacrifice going out to dinner with friends in order to stay home with your family.  It goes back to what my dad said.

So why is it, you are willing to do the work in some areas of your life, but not others?
You know you need to lead a healthier lifestyle, but you just love chocolate, cheese and a good steak. What are you willing to do, to lead a healthier lifestyle?  What are you willing to sacrifice? We have all fooled ourselves at some point to believe that we are working hard or that we are doing everything within our power to make things happen.  But, are you really doing the work or are you simply phoning it in?

Truthfully, you’re not fooling anyone, not even yourself.
As you very well know, nothing in this life comes easy to any of us.  Nothing worth having ever is. That “overnight success” took a decade to become a superstar, because they were willing to do the work.  And here’s the thing, they do the work when no one else is looking.

They take the road less travelled.  They get up earlier and go to bed later.  Hanging out with friends is a luxury.  Spending excess money is on the backburner.  They are willing to do the work now, for a larger payoff later.  A thriving business, a beautiful family, a disease free body.

Those who are willing to do the work, have the same fears as you.  The difference being, they have learned how to fight through those fears, continue doing the work and come out on the other side. They keep moving forward.

You can overcome fear by doing the work.
There is a saying that I heard years ago that still rings true. You can’t expect full-time results, with part-time effort. What are you willing to do, to achieve your goals?