The most common mistake we make on our path to success is assuming that we don’t know enough. We believe that there is some secret formula. That once in our possession, will lead us clearly and convincingly to our destiny. This is a mistake. The bittersweet truth is that you already know everything you need to know to achieve your goals. It is a sobering thought for sure, but one, when truly understood, will free you.For example,I am a person who is always trying to get in shape. I have been successful in establishing good exercise and eating habits, but it is very easy for me to fall off the wagon. I work at that area of my life constantly (10 years ago I even became a certified personal trainer), anyways, a few months ago I was talking with a good friend who had reached a point in his life which he was ready to make some major changes in his health.
We started talking about where he should begin. “I have already bought about 10 diet books,” he boasted. “What about exercise?” I asked. “Well, I do not want to join a gym, so I am thinking about getting a recumbent bike and some weights.” “That makes sense,” I responded, “when are you going to get them?” “Well… I need to do some research first. I want to get something good. What do you think?”
“I think you are delaying,” I responded. “What do you mean?” he asked. “Listen,” I said, “…there is no big secret to losing weight. It is not an easy process, but it is simple. You need to burn more calories than you are taking in. You already know that. I think you are trying to buy yourself some time before you REALLY have to do anything. If you want my advice, you need to stop thinking and start doing. If you want my advice, you should go for a run TONIGHT.”
The point I was trying to drive home was that no one knows how to play mind games with you like YOU. Do you want to make a lot of money? Then you need to spend less money than you are bringing in. Do you want to be a millionaire? Research tells us that the odds are in your favor if you invest intelligently and start your own business. These insights are not front page news. If you really want to achieve a particular outcome then the chances are that you already know what you need to do. You just need to start.
Info on the author: Chris Cowan is an executive coach and an expert in adult and organizational learning. He is currently working as a consultant with the Federal government. He has previously worked for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Leadership Development and the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Previous consulting clients include, Fannie Mae, Samsung USA, the United States Air Force, and Microsoft. He has written or co-authored 13 articles on adult learning and is a certified action learning coach and training evaluator. Chris received his Masters from Harvard in 2005 and is currently writing his dissertation on transformational leadership at the George Washington University. He currently drives a 2008 Dodge Viper. Feel free to contact him with questions at Chrcowan@gmail.com.
Want to guest blog? As you might have noticed Secret Entourage is all about empowering people and helping them achieve their goals and nothing gives us more joy than one of our readers wanting to share their perspective or successful thinking with others.
