But Will You Do It?

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions…”

I was in college when I heard my dad tell me that the most valuable exercise program that existed was one that I would actually do.

Not the Body for Life, not Biggest Loser, not whatever…

Something that I would actually commit to and follow through on.

And now it’s the end of the first week in February. All the good intentions of the “new year, new me” have lost their shine. The 15 instagram photos posted showing the exercises and salads are buried under the photo of the large pizza and draft beer from lunch.

Reality has set in.

Now it’s the time when life separates the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’. I’m talking about the ones that have commitment vs those that don’t.

It’s the commitment that keeps you going when the initial rush is gone.

Unfortunately, it’s human nature to take the path of least resistance. Just 5 more minutes of sleep. I’ll just skip this day and exercise tomorrow. I’ll drink one more beer tonight and none the rest of the week.

I don’t know if I’ll eat a salad/run/hit the gym/ride tomorrow.

But like I tell my children…If you haven’t made an actual decision to go do something, then you are actually deciding against it.

Change takes a decision that requires movement and energy, which is why it’s hard.

But not complicated.

It’s simple to decide that I’m going to run at 5am on Friday. That doesn’t make it easy, but please don’t confuse it for being complicated. It’s not.

When I hear someone say, “I wish it were that simple for me,” I get frustrated. “I just can’t get up that early/can’t run/can’t whatever”.

They are making the anti-decision that leaves them right in the same place.

Failure. Frustration. Fear.

But when I decide to take action, really what do I have to lose? Nothing but that same failure, frustration, and fear.

My whole life, I have been driven to action, to move in some direction, even if it turns out that it’s not quite the right direction. Just like when I’m driving, I’m constantly correcting and steering to keep my truck on the road and in my own lane.

I’ve done the same thing in business, taking action and figuring out the details as I go.

I see it in my cousin and business partner, Jennings, who is consistently moving forward in life and business.

It’s about making a decision to move. To grow. To learn.

This past year has been exactly that. A year of consistent decisions and commitment to grow in running, in business, in relationships.

You could decide to move and change. You could make a commitment. You could find breakthrough results on the other side. Or don’t…

But I have to get to sleep…5am comes pretty early.