virgin islands scene

The willingness to sacrifice is the prelude to freedom.
-- Pesach Seder
 

 

Wednesday, November 19, 1997

Commit yourself

Is there something you KNOW you need to do, that you don’t want to do? Do you know you need to make more sales calls, or start an exercise program, or learn a difficult new skill, or confront someone, but you just don’t want to do it? It is very difficult to persuade someone to do something that they don’t want to do. And the same holds true when persuading yourself. If you really don’t want to do it, you won’t.

Yet there is something in you that knows you must. So, ask yourself why. And as you begin to see what it is you really want, you’ll find a way to make the commitment.

You don’t want to start an exercise program -- it’s hard work. But you DO want to feel better, and you DO want to improve your golf game, and you DO want your clothes to fit better. So, re-define the activity. Instead of trying to persuade yourself to start an exercise program, start a “feel better-golf improvement-more comfortable clothes” program. Those are things you do want, things you’ll be willing to “sign yourself up” for.

It’s more than a matter of semantics. You’ll do whatever you want to do, no matter what it takes. Get clear on what you really want, and nothing, not even your own reluctance, can stand in your way.

— Ralph Marston

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Copyright ©1997 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.