2. What’s Important to You?
As I have studied success and experienced it first-hand, there is
absolutely no doubt in my mind that the starting point to living a more
successful and fulfilling life is to positively know what’s important to
you. You must identify the things you value most.
When I was struggling to become an entrepreneur, I was taught that the
first step to achieving success is to have a strong desire.
However, throughout my career, I have coached hundreds of aspiring
entrepreneurs who wanted something so much they could taste it. Or, at
least that’s what they told me. Yet when it came time to employ the
discipline needed to achieve their goals, many of them opted out; they
wouldn’t exercise the necessary discipline.
Another prime example of desire not being enough lies in the real estate
profession. First-year Realtor dropout rates are as high as 80 percent.
Don’t you think these men and women had a strong desire to become
successful Realtors when they first started out?
What happened to their desire? Why did they fail to follow through?
Answer: What they desired was not important enough for them to do the
things required to achieve their objectives.
Let me encourage you to stop spending time pursuing things you simply
desire or think are important. Instead, identify the things that you know
are important. It’s a small but critical distinction. Far too many people
waste large periods of their lives climbing mountains only to realize,
when they get to the top, they climbed the wrong ones. Internationally
respected author and leadership consultant Stephen Covey speaks to this:
How different our lives are when we really know what is
deeply important to us, and, keeping that picture in mind,
we manage ourselves each day to be and to know what
really matters most.
LTM Challenge
Make a list of things that are important to you. Then prioritize that list,
identifying the most important one, followed by the second, and so on. As
you make this list, be honest. Don’t put something at the top of the list if
it really isn’t your Number 1 priority.
You can say, “My family is really important to me,” but if you’re
traveling two weeks a month and working 60 or 70 hours a week, your
actions speak louder than your words. What truly are your priorities?
If you are going to move your life forward, you can’t play games with
yourself and pretend things are different than they really are. When you
complete this exercise, you will have a prioritized list of things that are
most important for you to achieve.
Please stop and do this exercise. The lessons that follow will not bring the
same value to your life if you have not completed this challenge.
Desire alone is not enough to break through the obstacles
that lie in your path. What you pursue must be something
that, deep down in your inner being, is very important to you.
