Don’t Feel Like It? Do It Anyway…

One of the key things that sets successful people apart from those that fall short of their dreams is that successful people do the things others are not willing to do. For instance, if you want to get into shape, you need to eat right and exercise. Everyone knows this; it is a no-brainer. But, how many people actually do it? Those that are successful at it exercise and make positive food choices even when they don’t feel like it. That is what sets them apart.

You might think, but Paula you keep talking about living a fulfilling life and having more joy and this last paragraph seems incongruent. Does this mean I need to grit my teeth and bear it and just do everything I “should”? Certainly not. A forced life full of “shoulds” and things that don’t set your heart on fire because it aligns with your values is inauthentic. However, the road to success is not always a bed of roses, but I do believe it is worth enjoying whatever flowers (or lack thereof) are along the way. That is why it is important to set up systems that support you in your plan for success because left to the whim of “feeling like it”, even the best of us would be sipping margaritas by the pool rather than doing the work necessary to get us where we want to be.

This morning I was listening to archives of The Debbie Ford Show on Hay House Radio.  After several years of being immersed in Debbie’s work  as one part of my coach training, I love to listen to her show to fortify myself (coaches need our own juice and self-care too!). She was coaching a young woman who wanted to get out of her head and into her heart because she was over-analyzing her life while happiness eluded her. Debbie recommended she exercise 45 minutes a day for 28 days as a practice to get into her body. After all, there is a reason that athletes get a “high” from being in the zone. It is purely being in the moment and in your body. Her advice was that even on days you don’t feel like exercising, do it anyway. That’s the whole point behind perseverance as a success principle – taking action even when you don’t feel like it, even when it is rainy and cold outside, even when it is sunny and you’d rather be lounging, and even when your schedule looks “too busy”.

Ask yourself:

• What are the actions you know you need to be taking on a consistent basis but don’t?
• What gets in the way of you taking these actions?
• How can you set up a system that will support you in taking these actions consistently even on days when you don’t feel like it?

By stringing together moment after moment of positive action is what will enable you to be unstoppable in pursuit of success on your own terms.