The Winds of Change will sometimes Ruffle your Sails
If nothing changes, then nothing changes, so you need to let go of the notion that improving your life will not include changing it in the process.
Albert Einstein is quoted as saying "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them" and that statement could not be more accurate. If your dream life is different than the life you are presently living, then you are going to have to make some changes, and those changes could be downright radical, and even uncomfortable. However, if I may tip the hat to another great quote (author unknown), "Do today what others won't so you can do tomorrow what others can't".
Photo Credit: Silvia CosiminiAs you look towards the life that you want to lead, you may very well have to also look at some radical or uncomfortable changes that need to occur in order for you to start living that life. The winds of change – as they continually blow across the sands of time – will sometimes rock your boat or get sand in your eye, and sometimes they will even knock you flat. Nonetheless, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is there waiting for all of those who do what it takes to power through and take hold of their dreams.
As is often the case here on the Today is that Day blog, my inspiration for blog posts comes from my very own life, and that is the case here as well. My own life is about to radically change (for the better!), yet at the same time, the tasks involved in creating that change are large and could easily be overwhelming if I didn't know how to control those kinds of emotions.
So, rather than freak out and turn into a useless mass of blabbering inefficiency, I have instead come up with a great plan of action that – as indicated above – will require some radical changes on my part in order to make it all happen. In order to come up with that plan, I utilized a simple, 4-step challenge solving process:
- Identify the Primary Goal – There are numerous factors that go into facing up to any challenge, but there is always one primary goal that will then fuel or enable the rest of the tasks. Find that one primary goal, and focus on that one thing, to the exclusion of everything else.
- Assess what Resources you have Available – Often times money helps to grease the wheels of goal attainment, but you may still have to access other resources as well – possibly in order to get that money. Those resources could include your own skills, your experiences, your circle of influence, or even material possessions that might be part of the solution.
- Find a way to use those Resources to attain the Primary Goal – Now is the time to think outside of the box. Remember, if nothing changes, then nothing changes. If you're alive (and you are!), then you have something to offer that will help you to get what you want.
- Refuse to accept Defeat as an Option – As long as you continue to hold onto some sort of safety net in case things don't work out, those things WON'T work out, because you will always know in the back of your mind that if you fall (or fail), the net will catch you. DECIDE that you are going to get what you want, and COMMIT to getting it at all costs. Failure is NOT an option!
A Real Life Example:
In my case, the changes in question include moving to the east coast of Florida in order to start a very cool, very unique coastal fitness program. After almost 2 years of working almost exclusively from home, the winds of change now find me:
- Moving all the way to within walking distance of the beach from my present central Florida location
- Starting a company that will ultimately be incorporated, spreading my unique business idea all over the world
- Being available 3 or 4 times per day outside of my home to train clients
- Hiring, training, and managing employees, which is something that I have always managed to avoid in the past
Identify the Primary Goal - This entire business idea is predicated on living by the beach. As much as I love the beach, it's not about sun-bathing and dolphin-watching, but rather utilizing the coastal community as the catalyst and the life-blood of the business. Moving to the beach is the Primary Goal. Without that, nothing else matters.
Assess my Available Resources - My personal development products, my social networking site, my skills and abilities, my fitness coaching site, and my circle of influence.
Use Resources to attain Primary Goal –
- Personal Development Products – My products have great value and quality, and I know that for a fact, so I don't need to "convince" anyone to buy them. They all come with a money-back guarantee and email support from me, and they are all very reasonably priced. Using my products as part of solving this challenge is as simple as reminding people that they are worth checking out.
- Social Networking Site – Personal Development Partners is growing every day, and I have even started advertising it on Craigslist. I will continue to offer the lifetime membership option only until the end of June, so now is the time to take advantage of that. I also have just 3 Thought Leader positions left open, and those are the most coveted spots, so grab one now – they go fast. Again, using my site as part of solving this challenge is simply reminding people of the value that is available.
- Skills and Abilities – I have been encouraged by many people to help others with their blogs and/or to write for other people's blogs. I very much enjoy creating content that people get value from, so I have decided to start offering my blogging and writing services for hire. This is far beyond anything that I have offered in the past, and that radical change is part of my challenge-solving process.
- Fitness Coaching Site – I have been writing at Fitness Destinations for more than 4 years (first as a website, and more recently as a blog), and it is chock full of a ton of really great information. Since I have gotten back into Fitness Coaching, I have been updating that site with product-specific posts at least a few times each week. That site is part of solving this challenge by me encouraging people to check it out, and to pay special attention to whether or not you see value in the P90X Reviews that I have been doing.
- Circle of Influence – In addition to this blog post encouraging people to check out all of the products and services that I offer, I am also going to simply ask for help! Regular readers at Today is that Day say that they love the site and the content, so here is your chance to prove it. If you would
like to be a part of helping me rise to this huge challenge, you are welcome and encouraged to do any of the following: - Make a Donation – No donation is too small (or too large!). Since bloggers get paid for their writing, I am well within my rights to ask people to make a donation if they truly see value in my work.
- Purchase a Product – As indicated above, my products rock, and they are worth every penny.
- Join PDP – Personal Development Partners is a great site, and the members are helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable, not to mention the huge list of benefits that all paying members get immediate access to.
- Hire Me – Check out the details on what I offer, and if I can be of service to you, then great. If not, then please let your own circle of influence know what I have to offer.
- Purchase a Beachbody Product – Not only will you get me as your Team Beachbody Coach, but you'll get a high quality product that is much more than worth it's price.
Defeat is NOT an Option – This entire decision for me was based on my own desires vs. the resources and geography that are available where I live now. It is simply not possible for me to do what I want as long as I live here, and I have explored every conceivable option to determine that fact. If I am going to get what I want (and I am!!), then I do not even have the option of living where I live. It's the coast or nothing!
Conclusion
If you'll read carefully through the challenge-solving process, and then see how I applied that process to my own situation, you'll see one very important fact:
The only thing that actually changed was how I presented or utilized the resources that were there all along!
I didn't have to get more stuff, attain more skills, get a lucky break, or do anything that has not been in my control the entire time. All I did was identify the goal, take an assessment, apply my inventory of resources towards the issue, and then stubbornly refuse to accept anything less than success.
The end results? Well, at the time of this writing, that remains to be seen. However, if you want to see me lead by example by attaining this goal, then subscribe to my RSS feed to stay up to date. I'll be moving to my new coastal residence within 60 days – guaranteed!
