Here we are, embarking on not only a New Year but a new freaking decade. I am already hearing people talking about next year using words like, “In January I am going to do… or, my New Year's Resolution for 2020 will be…” Why wait? Here is your 2020 wake up call. Stop talking, stop planning, and start work now. Nowhere is it written into law that changes can only happen at the beginning of a New Year. Quit being a chicken and start doing all the things today. Talk is cheap, and excuses don’t pay bills.
At this point in time, are you reflecting over the last decade or year wondering where your time went? Why you are no better off than a year ago? Stuck in the same place? Or thinking, “Man I should have done… or, I didn’t take enough chances. I played the last year on the sidewalk, where it was safe, where I could blend in and be small.” Goals aren’t crushed (conquered) on sidewalks. Dreams don’t come true without risk. The risk is either actually dreaming big or doing the work.
The reason some people are successful, and I use that word lightly, isn’t because they know all the secrets. They don’t have a special sauce that makes life easier for them. It has nothing to do with them coming up with the best resolutions every year. It is simply because successful people actually do things, and do them consistently. Did you catch that, they actually work and not just talk. That is the secret sauce, my friend.
Let’s sideline this topic (conversation) for a second. Success is not defined by wealth, life status, followers, friends, fame, or initials after your name. I don’t really care what Webster’s dictionary defines success as. Success has a different meaning to just about everyone. What I view as successful is not what you will see as success. For example, when I fail at something, that is still a success to me. It means I did something, I didn’t just talk about it. Our differences are what makes this world so great. So quit trying to be like everyone else. You were not created to fit inside a box.
Ok, sorry, I am back on track. The secret to success is constantly showing up. Even on the hard days. I borrowed my husband’s favorite analogy to help build a picture for you, so you can relate to what the work looks like in real life. Thanks, babe for this story! We all know people that want to lose weight. One person will join the gym, work their ass off daily, change their eating habits, and in the end, accomplish their goal. The other person will start off going to the gym, but as soon as working out gets hard or inconvenient, they tap out. The same goes for eating better. It takes a lot of work to shop, wash, cut up and prepare fresh foods. So once that aspect gets inconvenient, weak people tap out. One person consistently showed up when the other person quit. For the person that didn’t succeed suddenly, the gym didn’t work. Which that statement right there is rather amusing. The gym didn’t work. Not that the person let themselves down by not actually doing the work, but the gym failed them. I am pretty sure a treadmill is a treadmill, no matter which gym you go to. Yes, some treadmills are smoother, but the gist of the machine are the same. Friend, the gym didn’t fail you, you failed yourself. You can pull every excuse out of the sky as to why you didn’t meet your goals and the other person did. Until you are ready to admit you are the reason the gym didn’t work because of your lack of commitment, no gym will work for you.
What is your “gym” or treadmill that isn’t working out in your life? Have you been toying with a career change? Relationship change? Move to a new place? Playing on the playground and not the sidewalk? Make a commitment to yourself today. Do the work. Don't find yourself in the same place next year wishing you had changed.
Go into every day with intention. Be intentional (mindful) with your thoughts and actions. Chase your goals. No need to wait for another year to start again. Every day is a blank canvas, a do-over so to speak. You will never be successful in playing it safe. If you have BIG dreams and goals, you have to quit making yourself small. This is hard in a world that wants everyone to be small. You can’t be big and small at the same time. Choose to be BIG in 2020. Best wishes to you and get off the sidewalk.
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