I’ve noticed a disturbing trend where people believe that change in life, achieving greater results and becoming a better person with improved outcomes will just happen through wishing, dreaming, learning and talking…that NEVER happens.

I remember in my twenties being a HUGE dreamer…constantly thinking about what I could become, how I could impact people’s lives, where I could live, who I could spend my time with and how prosperous my life could be.

For a while, dreaming was enough. As long as I had my dreams, there was hope and that can be a very powerful thing – after all, without hope there is very little left in life.

At the same time, months and years rolled by and those dreams were not resulting in actual change or achievement in my life…I often look back at those years now wishing I could have realized that TRUE change and success requires moving from wishing, wanting, dreaming and learning into DOING.

Dreams Alone Will Not Lead To BIG Results In Life

The faster you can move from thinking and talking about improving one area of your life or another into taking action that will make it happen, the sooner you will realize REAL change and the sooner you can begin to measure yourself on outcomes rather than plans and goals.

Many people want to be successful, many others plan out how they will achieve it and a good portion of those people will talk endlessly about how they WILL do it – but how many really take the first step?  Of that smaller number, how many will stick with it through the setbacks, resistance, fear, uncertainty and ridicule to become an unstoppable force leading to massive momentum and change in their lives?

My educated guess from coaching thousands of people through Information Marketer’s Zone and helping thousands of others get over resistance and procrastination in their lives is less than 2%

That number may or may not surprise you depending on where you are in your life and how much experience you have under your belt, but what that number should NOT do is have an negative impact on your desire and commitment to take your life and business in a different direction.

In fact, it should embolden you and here’s why…

Knowing that the REAL obstacle to achieving everything you want in life for you and your family is really something as simple as ACTING on your desires, wishes, plans and knowledge means that you have unlocked the secret that 98% if people struggle with each day but may NEVER realize how to change?

That realization is tragic, but the EMPOWERMENT you should feel is being one of the chosen few who now KNOW what it takes…you now have the exact formula for moving from where you are today to where you want to go and the ability to make it happen simply by taking ACTION and turning that into a habit in your life.

Now that you possess this newfound “magic formula” – the next question that stands in your way (and really the ONLY question that remains) is what will you give up today that will allow you to prosper and grow tomorrow?

You see, taking ACTION in new directions comes with costs – some of the costs everyone is afraid of are:

• Giving up something or a habit that you have lived with all of your life.  That could be watching TV, sleeping in late, staying in your comfort zone, playing the victim…
• Potentially alienating or leaving behind some or many of your social connections (family or friends that are jealous of your growth and action)
• Possibility that you may stumble, make mistakes or look foolish for a time until you figure things out
• Apply discipline driven by a broader vision – that you must trust yourself to stay motivated, disciplined and on-track

I’m sure you can relate to these “costs” can’t you?

For many, these costs outweigh the benefit and so they stay stuck in their lives, falling back into the trap that dreaming, wishing, planning and talking are enough – UNTIL THEY AREN’T – and then it’s too late.

So how do you summon the strength to give up something, step out of your comfort zone and boldly go where you have not yet gone in life?

Sacrificing Something To Get A Lot More…

That comes down to having a BIG vision driven by a deeply powerful DESIRE to become and have a different life supported by daily reinforcement and inspiration directed at staying disciplined and focused on these bigger visions so that the short-term costs pale in comparison to what is at stake if you do not reach your end vision.

Let me reiterate that it takes BOTH a BIG vision for your life in the future AND daily reinforcement of that vision – once you apply these to your daily routine you win the battle that 2% have won where you convince your mind that giving up these things today will lead to far greater benefit in the future.

What holds you back today?

What are you willing to give up today so that you can become one of the 2% that lives to their true potential, expands their lifestyle and returns and helps everyone around them while you live a life of high energy, creativity, gratitude and contribution?