I don’t like running. I really don’t like push-ups and sit-ups. I’d rather do anything else right now. But what’s the alternative?
Having no wind or strength. Being flabby with no energy.
Can I expect anything else if I’m not willing to do the work?
No matter what you or I hope to achieve in life, we need to put in what we want to get back.
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Do the Math
In fitness, business or whatever you want to excel at, a weak effort will yield weak results.
However, people often expect otherwise. They think luck, talent, or a mysterious Good Samaritan will replace hard work on their part. It doesn’t add up.
Ask someone in debt how much they owe. If they respond with a vague number or “I don’t know” you can be sure they’ll never be out of it.
If they respond with a specific number, bet that they’ll be back on their feet again. They have looked their debt in the eye and understand it. They’ll chop it down one payment at a time until it dies.
Success is the same way. “Success” isn’t a detailed enough term. Know how to define that. Is it $100,000 a year? A million? A certain income per month without going to work? Finishing a marathon? Losing weight?
If you can’t quantify the meaning of success, you can’t start to achieve it.
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Not a Secret
Success is not a mystery once you’ve defined it. Know what your goal will look like, then reverse-engineer it.
What will it take to get there? Be specific. Write it down and keep your plan handy. Look at it daily.
Do what it takes. Follow through. If you can’t by yourself, find help. Don’t do things that won’t contribute to your success.
It’s hard. I get it. Your schedule is full. By the end of the day, you’ve done what you had to do and you’re tired.
But was that day full of things bringing you closer to your goal? Add it up. Will your hours at work provide you with the income you want? Will your daily activity make you more fit or less?
Have the courage to make bold changes to your life. It’s your path.
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Make Your Own Luck
People wait for the one big opportunity to change their lives. They see examples of it happening all the time. “If only I would meet someone who believed in me and would help me get rich…”
Yes, it happened to me to a certain extent. Meeting my mentor, Greg, at my detail shop, spending an hour talking to him and having him offer to work with me changed my life.
But would he have spent any time with me if I ran a messy, lazy shop? Would he have even brought his car to me?
No.
Would anything he taught me have worked for me without effort and dedication on my part?
No.
It didn’t the first six times. I failed and lost his share of the investment. But I got up off the floor one more time.
Call me lucky if you will. In that case, you can be lucky too, because luck is really just a result of hard work and positive energy.
Photo: Getty Images