10 Life Lessons On How To Find Your Why NOW & Achieve Ultimate Success – Lesson 6 (part 4)

Just as the butterfly must struggle to shed its cocoon, we all have to struggle to climb out of failure and into success. In fighting its way out of the cocoon, the butterfly develops muscles that it will need to fly. I once heard a man describe trying to help a butterfly get free of its cocoon. He took a knife and cut the cocoon away. The butterfly came out, but then died right before his eyes! That butterfly needed – and we all need – the struggle to achieve. The great Russian novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn once said, “Even biology teaches us that habitual well-being is not favorable to life.” We all need to struggle our way into success. Striving to succeed will always be part of achieving your Why. When we don’t have struggles or obstacles to overcome, we become complacent, lazy and passive.

My coaching student that wrote the Why statement that you read earlier certainly understands that. That’s the reason that she began her Why by saying, “The reason why I am dealing with all the challenges. . . ” She didn’t flinch at the possibility of obstacles. She embraced them. Just settle it in your mind that you will have challenges, you will have obstacles and you will have hurdles—no question about it!

That same champion student also uses the words, “I actually see…” This is a critically important key in the process of overcoming the problems. You must SEE yourself successful, and you must SEE yourself achieving your Why. That’s why many successful sports trainers make their students visualize the golf ball rolling into the cup, the basketball swooshing the net, the arrow hitting the core of the target, etc. If you see it, you can do it. If you can’t see yourself (visualize) achieving your Why, then your belief in your Why is not strong enough. The discovery of your Why is a great milestone in your life. You will change, and you will improve yourself. Your interests will change, and you will expand. You will enjoy life even more than you already do. In order for this to happen, you must invest in yourself, face the problems and see yourself achieving your Why.

10 Life Lessons On How To Find Your Why NOW & Achieve Ultimate Success – Lesson 3 (part 2)

Here are a few ways you can start to cultivate this new habit:

•Donate your time to your favorite organization or a friend in need.
•Offer your wisdom to person that may be starting a new life for himself/herself.
•Smile and say hello to someone that looks like they really need something positive to happen to them.
•Take some of your old clothes that you never wear to the Salvation Army. Cook a hot meal for an elderly shut-in.
•Repair an automobile for someone that can’t afford the repairs.

I would say that the first rule of giving is very simple – give what you have. If you don’t have wealth, you may not be able to give money, but you can still be a giver. You can still cultivate the habit of giving.

First, give whatever you have been blessed with or whatever talent you have. You have to sow these seeds today in order to design your future. You design and predict your future by planting seeds in the lives of others. If you plant seeds of hope in others, then you will reap a bountiful harvest (a successful future). Of course, there’s a flip side to that. If you are selfish and only think of getting what you want out of life, then you will reap what you sow – selfishness. Your failure to plant seeds in the lives of others will result in nothing but dried up soil not to mention a very lonely and unfulfilled life. There’s nothing better than the feeling you have after you have blessed the life of another person. For instance, my wife and I decided five years ago not to give Christmas gifts to each other and even asked our family/friends not to give us Christmas gifts. Instead, we take the money that everyone would have spent on those gifts and provide a great Christmas for families in need. Christmas is our favorite time of the year not because of what we receive, but because of what we give away and the joy that our giving brings to others.

10 Life Lessons On How To Find Your Why NOW & Achieve Ultimate Success – Lesson 2 (4 of 4)

Once the cement is hardened, it remains that way forever with proper maintenance. In the same way, once your commitment hardens in your mind and heart, it will remain that way. It’s up to you to keep the naysayers, your negative past and other discouraging factors from defacing your commitment before it is hardened into a strong foundation in your heart and mind. I’m a New Yorker, but I like the song of the wide-open West, “Home on the Range.” I like it mainly because of one line, “where never is heard a discouraging word.” Think about that. Do you care enough about your own success to live in an environment that contains no discouragement? Are you so committed to your future that you will surround yourself with people, books, CDs and movies that encourage rather than discourage you?

Never forget that the power of your commitment is one of the greatest factors in your life. Your commitment to success or your commitment to your cycle of failure will determine whether or not you achieve your life long dream. Let’s try to understand this. The word “power” means the authority to take control over. You need to take control and authority over your lack of commitment in the past and recommit to your achievement of your goals and dreams. If you are a success maniac like me, then commit yourself
to your own future. This type of commitment gives you both the right and the power to achieve your ultimate Why in life. Behind every Champion’s achievement of their Why is a strong and solid commitment. When you’re on track and have commitment as hard as cement, your foundation doesn’t move around. Yes, you’re hard-headed. You’re solid as a rock! You are going for it! You’re making decisions like a committed Champion!

That’s where it all starts to come together and before you know it, your life takes off like a space shuttle and people standing around suddenly jump back, look startled and say, “Whoa! What happened? What’s going on with you?” What they’re seeing is the blast-off of your success rocket, the manifestation of your commitment. That’s why commitment is one of the most important keys to success. Remember, your commitment is the foundation, and it’s your decisions that will determine whether or not your foundation will crack in the midst of life’s storms.

10 Life Lessons On How To Find Your Why NOW & Achieve Ultimate Success – Lesson 2 (3 of 4)

Jim Rohn, one of my mentors, says that we should regularly ask ourselves, “Who am I with? What are they doing to me? Is that good?” I agree. You’ve got to commit to yourself that you will not hang out with and be a victim of dream stealers. No one but YOU owns the title deed to your life. Out of respect for yourself, commit to spending time with people that are victors in life. Be committed to walking in victory! Third, forget the mistakes and negative defaults of the past. You’re free! Kick your chicken and leave the shackles of your past behind.

You must be determined to develop your commitment long term, because success is not easy. Failure is guaranteed if you are not committed to your success. Daily commitment to the achievement of your Why will push you through the trials of life. It’s like physical exercise; it must be done daily! An essential part of maintaining your commitment is to stay away from cynics and dream stealers. Join others that have made the decision to walk in victory! Don’t let negative people determine your level of success. If you read the right books, journal your thoughts, spend time with positive and successful people and leave your past mistakes behind, you will find that your foundation of commitment will harden just like cement and become stronger each day. Think about it for a second. When cement is first poured, it is not hard. Sometimes people will actually write their name in it while it’s wet.

10 Life Lessons On How To Find Your Why NOW & Achieve Ultimate Success – Lesson 2 (1 of 4)

The Power of Commitment

Few things in life have as much power as commitment. Commitment turns average or inactive people into what the military calls a full metal jacket (a bullet that can penetrate great obstacles). The character trait of commitment does that. It gives our dream the full metal jacket that it needs in order to punch through obstacles. In fact, I would say that commitment is the foundation for building your life. It is the bedrock of achieving your ultimate Why in life. Let me ask you a question. Are you truly committed to achieving your dreams and goals in life? I’m sure you said “Yes.” OK, let me ask you an easier question. Have you invested in the seven highlighters that I recommended in the last lesson?

If you haven’t made the commitment to complete the exercises in Lesson One of this book, then stop right now, go back and do it. You cannot expect to achieve the maximum results of this material if you are not committed to achieving these results. In order to achieve your ultimate goals and dreams in life, you must have a starting point and take action. I know this sounds a little harsh, but as your coach I must and will hold you accountable for your actions and your failure to take action. My ultimate goal is to assist you in achieving your Why in life. At times I am like a drill instructor whose purpose is to turn green recruits into full metal jackets. I am very serious about helping you to Find Your Why and Fly. I hope you are serious enough to “Just Do It.”

What is Commitment?

Commitment is a serious, even sacred, pledge to do or be something. It is hammer-hard determination to achieve. Like a full-metal jacket bullet, it is so focused on the goal that it blows right through the obstacles and distractions. Commitment takes us beyond comfort zones and personal indulgences. The Oxford English Dictionary actually says that commitment is “an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.” Think about that. Being committed to a goal means we have to give up some of our freedom. For example, if I’m committed to investing twenty percent of my income, I may have to give up the freedom to buy all the latest electronic toys. If I’m going to lose forty pounds in the next six months, I may be forced to give up my freedom to have a glass of milk and cookies before I go to bed.

Are you committed – REALLY COMMITTED – to your own success? Is that commitment strong enough to finish reading this book? Be honest. How many books have you bought and not read? How many books have you cracked open, read a few pages and then stuck on the shelf? Now, I’m going to challenge you to read this book…every lesson, every word. Upon completion of reading each lesson of this book, write a summary of it in your learning journal. A learning journal doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A basic notebook will do. It is critically important to write down what really hits you out of each lesson. I also refer to this as brain-spilling. Regularly and frequently summarizing each lesson is the best way to get life-changing truth off the page and into your heart and mind. By reading it, writing it down and reviewing it frequently, you internalize it. You take possession of it. You take ownership of the truth that will set you free!

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