There is something I’ve noticed that all of the greatest athletes, leaders and entrepreneurs have in common.
From NRL champions to Olympians to top CEO’s, this ‘secret’ has helped to reach the top of their game and then to stay there.
Here’s their secret:
To succeed, you need to commit. There’s no halfway.
As simple as that sounds, it’s rare.
And surprisingly difficult. Personal trainers seem to have no issues flexing muscles in the gym… Yet, when it comes to flexing their decision-making muscles, they wuss out.
Decisions Control Your Life
Think about your life and split it into two categories: the parts you’re thrilled with, and the parts you’re not thrilled with. All of them have one common theme: they have resulted from your decisions.
Decisions are that powerful. So why don’t we use them? Why do we put off making decisions and committing?
The biggest reason is fear. We’re afraid of failing, of making the wrong decision, so instead we delay. We never commit.
Over time, our decision-making capability dies. The muscles responsible for decisions begin to atrophy, until there’s less strength in them than a SOMETHING.
Strengthen Your Decision Muscles
The good news is this: if you make a bad decision, you’ll receive immediate feedback. You’ll find out fast.
But you will never know by sitting on the fence.
“More than anything else, it’s our decisions, not the conditions of our lives that determine our destiny.” – Tony Robbins
The ability to make strong decisions is a skill that can be strengthened. You need to flex your decision-making muscles regularly for them to transform.
Stormin’ Norman
General Norman Schwarzkopf tells a story about as US army general. In asking the general to make a decision about a serious issue, the group brought huge piles of reports and complicated, technical documents.
The general calmly said, “The answer is obvious, gentlemen,” and he gave the answer. After they left, the much lower ranked Schwarzkopf asked his mentor how he could possibly have taken such decisive action under so much pressure. The general replied, “This has been a decision that no one’s been willing to make for 10 years. The best minds have been on it and they can’t decide, so you know what? We need to pick one and do it. Decisions are power and I’m here to make them. That’s what I’m in this position for. That’s why I’m a leader.”
Schwarzkopf never forgot that conversation.
Stop Half-Committing
The only real failure is failing to decide and then never committing. There are too many fence sitters.
By putting off what inevitably you know you need to do, you remain a fence sitter. What decisions have you been putting off? What’s the one thing that will propel your business or body forward that you’ve been avoiding? Do you have some decisions in your life you know you need to make?
It’s time for you to decide. It’s time to commit. Sometimes, all it takes is for you to step up.
You need to find your edge, and step out of your fear.
For you, that might require that you put yourself in a courageous state and just make it happen. The hardest part almost always is making the decision. After that, it’s easy. It’s being on the fence that causes splinters.
Something Happens When You Commit
As woo-woo as this may sound, something happens when you make a decision. Opportunities, people, and situations show up that you never thought possible.
Just over 12-months ago, my life was very different. Keegan told me to write my goals down, and to carry them with me. On a piece of card I wrote my income goals, my fitness goals, and my spiritual goals.
On that day, I made a strong decision and committed to the outcome of achieving these goals or something better.
Today above my work desk hangs this quote:
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred…. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”
Today I challenge you to let go of fear. I challenge you get off the fence. When you commit, and then work [very] hard, the universe will help you.
Start today and make one decision that you’ve been putting off.
Then, let the power of that decision launch you off the fence and into greater success.
If you’ve been putting off having a Business Breakthrough Call with me, now is the time.
If you’re on the fence, decide now.