How Bad Do You Want It?

When I was 10 years old I wanted a Mongoose BMX bike desperately.  I lived in a neighborhood with mostly boys and they all had BMX bikes.  My parents made a deal with me.  If I saved half, they would pay for the other half.  So for the next few months I did extra chores, babysat, sacrificed going to the movies with friends so that I could put every penny I had into saving for that bike.  The boys would make fun of me for not having bikes like theirs, but it didn't matter, I knew that it would only be a matter of time.  I remember the day that I finally saved enough to make the purchase.  We walked into the bike shop and I felt like I was walking on air.  I was so proud of myself for saving the money.  I can even remember the smell of the new bike.  When I got home and rode my shiny new bike I was the envy of the block and it felt good!

There have been many times in my life when I thought I wanted something so bad that I couldn't live without it.  Like going to a small private college that some of my friends went to.  I thought I wanted it so bad, but when I realized the cost, I wasn't willing to work for it.  I've wanted higher paying jobs, but didn't want to make the time in my life to go through the training.  I've wanted to take my family on a Disney Cruise, but it wasn't a priority enough to save for it.  I wanted to do a full marathon but it wasn't important enough to make the time to train for it.   Then there have been times that I worked realy hard, sacrificed time and money to get to where I wanted.  Like buying a car, going to Kauai and training for triathlons.  I had to take leaps of faith, get out of my comfort zone and do it.  And when I did, it felt good!

Oftentimes, we say we want something really bad but how bad do we really want it?   We want to lose weight or start exercising but excuses like not enough time or money get in our way.  I hear this a lot as a personal trainer.  I've even used these excuses myself.  How about you?

Sometimes we think we want something, but are we willing to step outside our comfort zone to get it?  Think about the times in your own life that you reached a goal.  I bet you had to make sacrifices of time and money.  I also bet you wouldn't have had it any other way.  It felt good to reach that goal!

If there is something in your own life right now, whether it is weightloss, a new car, being a better parent, spouse or friend, deepening your faith, whatever it is that you keep saying you want, ask yourself this:  How bad do I want it?  Am I willing to make sacrifices for it in time and/or money?  Can I make some other changes in my life that are preventing me to reach that goal?  When you ask yourself these things, push the excuses to the side, you will reach your goals, and it feels good!