As captivating and enchanting as your world may seem in your head, it’s not enough for you to merely have good intentions for your life.
To draft a blueprint and fantasize about reaching your goals, creating a better life, securing the bag, and ultimately having nothing to show for it.
Specifically, what’s worse than the lack of manifestation of “the good life” . . .
(whatever your good life is, whatever you want to grasp hold of, whatever vision of your life you desire…)
what’s worse is knowing YOU are the only culprit. You’re the perpetrator, the outlaw, and the miscreant when it comes to your own life and watching over your own actions.
(although you always have a solution for everyone else’s issues…)
Apart from this, you are your own worst enemy, and the only person standing in your way to your greatness.
Talk about a tough pill to swallow baby.
Day in and day out knowing what to do to get to that next level, your next level, to finally encounter those dreams and ideas you have for yourself in this lifetime, but failing to make it happen.
Moreover, you have this constant battle in your mind and within your being, between your higher and lower self.
Your lower self . . .
- Always sweet-talks you out of what you need to do.
- Keeps an excuse on deck ready to be deployed at any time.
- Provides an infinite amount of time and hospitality to distractions.
- Comforts you as you make the wrong choices, that lead you far away from your purpose and closer to mediocrity.
The voice of your lower self is noisy, powerful, and consistent because of unconscious habitual habits.
The higher self is always there. It’s always been there. It’s who you are in Christ.
It’s watching and hearing everything that your lower self is doing, but it needs your awareness and your agreement in order to override that false identity that your lower self clings to.
If you are still in the process of learning about yourself (which we all are) take a look at these 10 Self-Discovery Questions You’ll Love to Unleash the Best You to gain a deeper consciousness of who you are at the core.
By all means, stop waiting for someone who’s gonna jump on your back and force you to do what you’re supposed to because they ain’t coming. All the pressure is on you.
Ask yourself If those goals you have and the vision you possess in your heart can withstand the challenges and the nuances of life.
The good news is . . .
Undoubtedly you can strategically kill off that side of you that is stunting your true growth. The very parts of you that seem to be your Kryptonite causing you to . . .
- Live in fear.
- Dwell on your insecurities and shortcomings.
- Think that you are trapped in your past.
- Fail to be disciplined & consistent.
- Fail to be disciplined & consistent (this needs to be up there 2x).
- Consistently indulge in the future, stealing you away from the present moment.
I’m not sure if this message is for you, but you can finally meet and exceed all your expectations.
If you’re willing to give up your comfort, your time, your old belief system, and your “norm”, great changes can take place within your life, and quickly.
The 3 strategies I’m gonna go over are going to show you just what you need to have and do to make this a phenomenal year and finish off strong.
1. Be Obsessed With Accountability
Accountability is having someone to answer to. It’s having someone to cross-check your work, and being susceptible to reprimand for unjust, unkind behavior.
Who do you answer to?
Are you living life on the fly?
Or are you committed to bettering yourself not only for the sake of yourself but for those around you who you care for and love?
Without a doubt, a large portion of society now does not want anyone to be accountable to.
In particular, they want to be their own god and rule their own life.
And take a look around, you can tell that scenario is failing. It’s obvious we as humans can not sustain our own lives.
Our top causes of death worldwide are largely preventable . . .
- Heart Disease
- Respiratory Disease
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Self Harm i.e. Suicide
In addition, take a look at the number of people who are emotionally and mentally unstable (use your family as an example).
Imagine the number of people who are dependent on drugs and alcohol.
Furthermore, consider the number of us who fail to sustain healthy relationships, and then ask yourself these questions. . .
- Who holds you accountable to follow through on your word and to keep your promises?
- Does anyone hold you accountable when your lack of patience and kindness hurts those around you?
- What about when you give less than your best knowing you have the strength, the talent, and the gift of time enabling you to do better?
- Does anyone hold you accountable when you misuse the attention and affection of another to fill a void only The Creator can fill?
Who are you answering to?
Are you leaning on your own understanding?
Or is there someone in your life that you can look up to as an example of pure wisdom, stability, love, and just behavior in order to aspire to something or someone greater?
To illustrate, when you’ve made a mistake, does your conscience guide you to make better decisions and work toward eradicating said behavior?
Or do you fight and justify the behavior with a lack of pure effort and strength to change?
The funny thing is we give our strength, time, energy, and focus to the things we want.
For instance, like getting our dream house, our dream car, or our dream job, but we don’t initiate the process, the work it takes to develop our dream character.
That person that The Creator called us to be.
Clearly, we think, that’s too much work. It’s too much work to change.
But oh boy! When you are called to accountability! And you are called to the stand to testify daily as to . . .
- What are you doing with the precious time you’ve been given on this earth?
- How have you been taking care of those special individuals that have been placed in your life?
- In what ways have you utilized the gifts and talents that are special and unique to you in order to pursue and complete your purpose?
When you’re dealing with someone who has no accountability to anyone you’re in trouble.
In contrast, when you’re being held accountable you are being held to a certain standard.
Your behavior and your words are being filtered, sifted, and compared to this standard which will ultimately shape who you are as an individual.
Undoubtedly, people want to be free from the burden known as accountability.
They want to play god and the only problem with playing god is that you don’t have the character to sustain that role.
As a result, someone with no sense of accountability can treat you wrong, cuss you out and keep it pushing with no sense of remorse because they’ve been conditioned that their behavior is okay.
On the other hand, once you have a constant and consistent force in your life holding you to a higher standard, perspectives change. Behaviors are forced to change. Character is built.
” A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.”
-Thomas Paine
2. Have the Courage to Commit
Decisions made on feelings are fleeting, they come and go.
The reason why commitment is necessary is because it surpasses feelings.
Therefore, a commitment is not just here today and gone tomorrow.
Moreover, a commitment means for better or worse, despite how my feelings may change, despite the uncertainties of life, I’m going to do what I gave you my word to do.
People are scared of commitment because commitment = consistency.
It equals you showing up every day and giving your best.
Equally, commitment naturally involves Accountability.
Because once you break a commitment your word naturally holds you accountable.
Making a commitment is pressure to be great in that area of life where you’ve set your mind and focus to. And Lord knows a lot of people are afraid to fail.
Consequently, we’re afraid to come up short. We’re afraid to lose our freedom. But we’re also afraid of our own greatness, being our complete selves, and walking in our own truths.
Nonetheless, when you make a commitment it doesn’t mean you won’t fail or make a mistake, it means you keep going.
No matter the obstacle, the challenges, no matter the punch life throws at you, you keep going, and that’s what matters.
Usually, when commitments are made there is something that is being lost, but there is also something greater to gain as well.
To illustrate…
You make a commitment to maintaining a vegetarian diet to lose weight, for better health, and for more energy.
You are taking a definite L.
Some of your favorite cultural dishes contain meat, some of your favorite restaurant menus are slammed with meat, and you will miss the tastes of certain foods.
But change your perspective now. Change your focus. What are you gaining?
- Healthier body weight
- Longer life
- Healthier Heart
- More energy
- Self-Confidence
Another Illustration….
You make a commitment to go back to school. You lose personal and family time, energy and effort, and money.
But you gain a sense of fulfillment in the long run when you get the degree. You get the opportunity to possibly make more money and work in the career/field of your choosing.
Commitment does involve taking an L ! It does. There is no way around this.
Without a doubt, the biggest commitments require you to take the biggest L, sacrificing something that’s dear to your heart.
But this is only temporary.
What you gain is sooo much more.
Above all else, focus on the wins not the losses.
Focus on what you’re gaining, not what’s going to be lost. What you’re gaining is far better than what you’re losing.
Commitment.
Only a real man or woman can step up to the plate willing to handle their business and not let fear (an emotion, something that is not tangible but 9/10 imagined) dictate their lives.
Learn to get out of your way, by getting out of your feelings. Read the 4 Easy Steps In Managing Your Emotions for Good to stop fear dead in its tracks and really start living.
“For most people, blaming others is a subconscious mechanism for avoiding accountability. In reality, the only thing in your way is YOU.”
-Steve Maraboli
3. Embrace Responsibility
Responsibility is Accountability’s Wing-man.
Being responsible is being in a state or form where one can be held accountable, liable, and possibly be held to blame for something.
Does that sound like anything that somebody wants to do?
No haha.
Who wants to be held liable?
That’s a term you hear in courtrooms and auto accidents.
The truth is it’s a lot of pressure.
Certainly, when taking on responsibility that means that no excuse will be accepted.
You have no out and there will not be any escape clauses written.
And if you fail to perform there will be consequences. Hence, the blame will be on you.
However, taking responsibility releases you from the victim mentality.
You are the blame, you are the cause, and you have full control.
You are where you are because of a series of choices you’ve made.
Likewise, stop making others your punching bag because you see your own flaws in them.
Taking responsibility means acknowledging and owning your power.
It’s refusing to tarnish the image you have for yourself by relinquishing your power to external forces/ and or people.
Also, it’s choosing to perform at your best and require the highest standard for yourself.
This is not something easy to do.
And the reason why people around you think you’re crazy, indecisive, and unstable, is because there is a fight within you between your higher and your lower self (your spirit vs your flesh) & while you’re showing up everyday putting up the fight of your life to manifest the best version of you, there are those around you that are more than satisfied with mediocrity.
They’re more than satisfied giving up this fight or not joining the fight at all to the commitment to change and growth.
Consequently, while you’re falling down and getting up trying to deliver your best daily, bringing to fruition your dreams, and walking in your purpose, you will have those that will not harm you, but they will not help you either.
They are like placeholders, just there taking up space. Flying on autopilot.
For those brave enough to try to harm, distract, and deter you, read my post on How to Deal with Toxic People Like a Queen for key ways to overcome negativity.
Overview
1. Be accountable for your decisions. You’re great, you’re fearfully and wonderfully made, but don’t throw off restraint. All that power that you have dripping at your fingertips needs to be balanced with just as strong of a force.
Find someone to be accountable to, for your character especially. But also for your goals, your dreams, and your purpose.
2. Learning to commit means learning to make decisions and ceasing to be indecisive. It’s recognizing that whatever you may surrender will be only temporary. If you lack discipline and consistency in your life, focus on learning to make commitments. Become comfortable with giving up temporary pleasures for lasting fulfillment and joy.
Read How to Ignite Your Productivity and Kiss Procrastination Goodbye to really dive into the lifestyle of making important decisions quickly and mastering your time.
3. Taking full responsibility for your life and your choices means you are in control. No blame game, no victim mentality. As you strive to do your best to improve and grow take note of the autopilots in your life. Surround yourself with those who have a similar mindset for growth and that embrace responsibility.
Avoid those who complain and are bundled up with fear to discourage and distract.
“We must all wage an intense, lifelong battle against the constant downward pull. If we relax, the bugs and weeds of negativity will move into the garden and take away everything of value.”
-Jim Rohn
The best health care is self-care. Take back your power.
Until Next Time With Love,
