| As 2021 draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect on lessons learned this year, and set goals for the next. So, as you’re thinking about your New Year’s Resolutions this week, I thought I’d share one of my favorite excerpts from Jim Rohn. When I first stumbled onto this speech, it struck a chord deep within me, and I often come back to it whenever I need a reminder on how to move forward towards my goals. I hope you enjoy… |
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| An Excerpt from Jim Rohn At 25, shortly after meeting my mentor Earl Shoaff, I had a day called “Do Not Kid Myself Anymore” day. I didn’t want to be disillusioned anymore. I finally decided that the crossed-finger theory was not going to get me what I wanted. It wasn’t where the treasure lies. I was going to have to make sure which way I was headed. Then, with Mr. Shoaff’s help, I found a few reading disciplines, a few disciplines of mind and a few disciplines of activity, when exercised, can make all the difference in the world as to where you will arrive. But it just took a few changes. Sometimes we get the idea that we’re doing 10 percent and there’s 90 percent more that we need to make the difference for our fortune, but probably the opposite is true. We’re doing enough things to have bought and shared in the good life. And maybe all we need is that extra 5 or 10 percent of intellectual change, activity change, refinement of discipline, refinement of thought. And all we need is the ideas to make those simple changes and the equity starts gathering in one year, three years, five years or 10 years. But now is the time to fix the next 10 years. You may have to come to grips with reality and with truth; that’s what was good for me when I met Mr. Shoaff. I was 25 years old; he was 44 years old. He brought me a wealth of experience and he started asking me the tough questions. “Big question,” he said. “Are you reading the books that are going to take you where you want to go in the next five years?” Excellent question. To get to where you want to be in the next five years, you are either reading the right books or you’re not. You’re either engaged in the disciplines or you’re not. But here’s what we don’t want to engage in: disillusion. Hoping without acting. Wishing without doing. The key is to look and say, Where am I? What could I do to make the changes to ensure that I can take more certain daily steps toward the treasure I want, the mental treasure, the personal treasure, the spiritual treasure, the financial treasure? I don’t want to make any more errors, now’s the time to adjust my daily program to take me where I want to go. The key is to start right now making these changes to walk this new road. Just a few daily disciplines makes a great deal of difference. And before you know it, you will be walking a brand new road. – Jim Rohn |
| To me, this passage is a great reminder that – whatever circumstances we may face – we must always take responsibility for them. It is through simple, daily actions that we create positive change. It is the discipline to become the traits we most want to be. The most important discipline you can develop is mental. Your mindset always precedes your actions, and your actions create the reality you experience each day. This means that if you want to make lasting, positive change in your life, you have to commit to changing the way you think. Every single day, it is your responsibility to choose your thoughts. Some days this will feel easy. You’ll feel eager and excited to move forward towards your goals. Some days it will be hard. You might feel frustrated, face a setback, or maybe you won’t even want to get out of bed. Whichever type of day it is for you, what matters is how you choose to think in response to it. If you feel eager and excited, but don’t focus that excitement into clear, purposeful action, you’ll be stuck “wishing” for life, without receiving it. If you feel upset, dejected, or disappointed, what matters is how you get back on your feet. In both cases, it’s about having the right tools to choose your thoughts. It’s the commitment to stay centered to move forward towards your vision, regardless of whatever reality you’re facing in the moment. If you can make that choice consistently, I absolutely guarantee you that you will start to see better results in your life. Where you are today – the abundance, the well-being, or the happiness you feel – will pale in comparison to where you can be by this time next year. As Rohn says: Now is the time to fix the next 10 years. To do it, you just have to follow a simple system. Step Back. Find Center. Choose a Better Feeling Thought. It’s actually a lot easier than you might think. The question is not whether you can do it, it’s whether you will choose to. |
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| So take a moment to ask yourself: Are you ready to create the change you say you want? Are you ready to commit to making 2022 your best year ever? If so, we have the tools to help. When join our membership platform here at The Joy Within, you’ll get access to a simple, clear system to create lasting, positive change in your life. It includes hundreds of guided meditations, lessons, and exercises to re-train your thoughts and teach you how to stay centered and on point, every single day. And, you’ll also get access to all of our live trainings and seminars, starting with the Conscious Goal Setting Masterclass coming up on January 15. It’s the perfect way to kickoff the new year, and help make 2022 your best year yet. Click Here to Get Started. |
