It ALWAYS starts with a decision.
You want to have a more fit body? Decide to have one.
You want to make more money? Decide to have more.
You want to travel more? Decide.
Change your living situation? Decide.
Have a loving relationship? Yep, decide.
JUST. DECIDE.
Sometimes…Oftentimes…ALMOST ALL THE TIME…we become motivated by some external catalyst. Whether it be pain, frustration or perhaps simply by seeing someone else who has done it.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not at the top of my mental game when I’m in pain and nearing my breaking point. Sure, I’m desperate, and that usually gets my buns moving but it’s harried and hectic. But when I’ve used someone else’s success as a motivator that I’ve made more expansive decisions and the outcomes have always come a whole lot easier.
It’s how I bought my first home.
Started my first business.
Transformed my diet.
Bought my first luxury car.
Increased my income to 5 figure months.
Bought my first investment property.
Taken my first volunteer vacation to Africa.
Quit smoking.
The list goes on.
Let me break each one down for you.
My first home purchase was thanks to a woman that I worked with. One day while we were working together, she excitedly told me that she was going to drop off a deposit for her first home.
Up until that point, I can’t ever recall thinking about buying a home. It just seemed like such an adult thing to do…even though I was in my late 20’s. (don’t judge)
Buying a home in Toronto as a single woman seemed out of reach. But hearing her doing it was MORE than enough to open the door of possibility for me and I ran right through it.
I found a place, came up with the deposit (I had zero savings) and because I had purchased from a builder, I was able to break up the downpayment into instalments. BUT that also meant that I had to hustle to get the $5,000 for the initial deposit on signing the papers. I then had 30 days to come up with another $5,000. Then It was another $5,000 at the 60 day mark and I can’t remember exactly how it was broken up after that but what I will tell you is that I never missed a payment AND it just happened.
Everything came together.
When I quit smoking. All the other times I had “tried” to quit…it had come from a place of want. It wasn’t until I decided that I was going to quit once and for all, that’s when it happened. My grandfather (who I had a bad history with) had quit smoking and again, I thought, ‘if he can do it, surely I can as well.’ And you know what?! Other than a little discomfort during times when I was triggered emotionally, it wasn’t hard.
When I bought my first luxury car…a Mercedes…I just decided I was going to buy it. The decision set things in motion and I focused on the outcome.
When I bought my first real estate investment property. I just decided.
I read Rich Dad Poor Dad and from there, bought my first investment property. A building no less.
Every time trip I took, I just decided it would happen. AND I decided I would treat my sister to them. It became our annual thing.
ANY TIME AND EVERY TIME I made changes in my life or brought something into my experience, it’s because I first decided.
There’s a difference between wanting and deciding. A HUGE difference.
You want to go all in? Decide.
Take all the steps to show that you mean business and take them quick. Don’t over think it. Take the first one and keep going.
Will there be instances of panic and thoughts of WTF did I just get myself into? Probably.
Errr…definitely.
You just keep going.
Focus on the outcome.
Trust that you will figure it out and land on your feet.
And if you want someone to push you onto the stage of life during the times when you’re just about to walk out and your heart begins to race and your brain screams RETREAT.
If you want someone who is willing to stand in the fire with you and call bullshit on your bullshit and expand your mind and strengthen your discipline so that you can start experiencing the outcomes you desire.
You just need to decide.