How Badly Do You Want It?

Think of your ideal life, your ultimate goal or current target. How badly do you want it?

Most people will say that they are committed but their attitudes, and more importantly their actions, don’t back their claims.

I get it. It takes courage to call your shot and when you do, you must follow through. No one is coming to save you or even cheer you on when you need it. That’s an unpopular statement but true and if you do have someone in your corner cheering you on, that’s a rare and beautiful gift. Embrace it!

As high performers, you and I must be committed to the process, call our shots, and then work relentlessly to make it happen!

What inevitably holds most people back?

We’ve been “sold” the lie that it should be easy!

It’s not going to be easy. You’re not going to have balance for a certain amount of time and you’re going to get knocked down time and time again. Too many people promote a que sera sera lifestyle, what will be will be. Things will fall into place. If it put in minimum effort, show up and do a good job then success will come. Wrong! Nothing could be further from the truth. The greats know that true excellence ALWAYS requires going above and beyond. It often requires relinquishing attachments to “a balanced life” for periods of intense purpose and drive.

We don’t go above and beyond what is expected of us!

I took on a 30-day challenge that lasted six months. Each morning in the shower and as I got ready, I would listen to “The Strangest Secret” by Earl Nightingale. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to advance their professional and personal lives. Most great coaches, leaders in personal development and orators have their messages based on the foundations taught by Nightingale. One of my favourite quotes is this…

“We’ve got to put the fuel in before we can expect heat. Likewise, we’ve got to be of service first before we can expect money. Don’t concern yourself with the money. Be of service. Build. Work. Dream. Create. Do this and you’ll find that there is no limit to the prosperity and abundance that will come to you.”
― Earl Nightingale, The Strangest Secret

Too often, we get caught up with the result. How can we put in just enough to get by and hope to reap a harvest? If we proclaim to want to reach our goals, we need to make excellence and value a part of each day’s efforts in serving our clients.

We need to consistently level up!

How do we back up our claim that we’re committed?  Put in extra effort. Show up early, stay late, ask what tasks you can take off others’ plates. Seek out ways to bring more value to your work, interactions and make other people’s lives easier. Seek knowledge through books and podcasts and share that knowledge to help advance others. In order to get to the next level, you must be committed to continuous improvement.