Your life doesn't get better by chance, it gets better by change. ~ Jim Rohn
Over the past week or so, I have spent a considerable amount of time reviewing old journals that go as far back as early college. It has been interesting to read where my mind was at age 19 (and beyond). There were entries where I talked about my dreams of building a fantastic future. Often, they spoke about having six pack abs, marrying a beautiful woman, building a successful business, and getting it all done before I was 25, which seemed light years away at the time. Yes, I even remember thinking how 25 was just too old to do anything notable. If I didn't achieve success by then, it was too late for me.
At 42, I look back at all those years that separate me from the young 19 year old that had huge dreams. What did I do with all that time? I asked. Surely, in 22 years, I must have done something magical, right?
The interesting thing is that there are areas of my life where I have exceeded my expectations, like reaching a level of formal education that I never saw myself reaching. While I felt smart enough, my grades never seemed to reflect what I believed about myself. Truth be told, I never really thought I would ever make it into college. Today, I hold a masters degree in business administration (M.B.A.) and have made it 80% through a doctoral program. That is huge!
Then, there are areas where I sought to achieve much more than I have, like having a set of six pack abs. Yes, I've been close, but never really having it in the way I envisioned it. My journey over the years has been relatively consistent, I talk about having six pack abs, but never doing enough to actually realize it.
Can you relate? Maybe it's not six pack abs that you're chasing, but a career, family, dream home, fancy car, loving spouse, or the completion of a formal education. Whatever it is that you want, you can see it happening, but it never quite becomes real. As a result, one may have a variety of thoughts and feelings. Maybe one feels like it will never happen, they're not good enough, not smart enough, not driven enough, not talented enough, or that God hasn't destined them to actually achieve it. Does this sound like you or someone you know?
Well, I'm here to tell you that you can do it, if you really want to. Looking back, I thought that given enough time, we all achieve our goals. Today, I believe that our successful achievement of life goals depends on us putting in the work consistently. Change is not going to happen until we plan for it and follow it up with the appropriate action. If one doesn't take action, you may find that twenty two years have gone by and life is pretty much the same as it was back then. The time is now!
Accountability Strategy for Making Positive Changes
One thing I noticed about writing a journal is that I can always go back and gauge my progress. With regards to weight, I can see where I was back in college and compare that to where I am today. Has it changed? Is the change better or worse? What am I doing to improve on my situation?
In the movie Vanilla Sky, Sofia, played by Penelope Cruz, said the following, "Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around." If we take that simple thought and apply it to our lives, we know that we have the power to change our lives, experiences, and achievements.
So, as you go through life, find a way to capture today. Maybe it is in a journal, blog post, voice note, or something captured on your Facebook timeline. However you decide to capture it, take time each day to record the thoughts, ideas, dreams, and actions of the day. Then, when tomorrow comes, take time to review yesterday's entry and compare it to today. At the end of the week, look back over the past 7 days and compare it to the week before. Then, when we reach a month, compare it to the month before, the year before, and even a decade before. In time, with careful inspection, you will see where you are applying action and seeing results or failing to do enough. It is then, when you are aware of it all, that you can course correct. Make the change(s) that will bring you closer to your goal.
Even more today, I believe what they say, "Look in the mirror...that's your competition."
Make today a great day!
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