need some motivation? use fear.
what would it look like if you dropped everything to pursue a passion or goal you’ve really wanted to accomplish and it failed miserably? what would happen to you emotionally, what would happen to your bank account, your relationships, your day to day activities?
fear typically isn’t seen as is a good motivator, but it can be. why? because after you’ve looked your fears in the face, they aren’t so scary.
see my example below as i go through asking myself what if tried something big and it all went south.
i’ve done this before, but i could use a good reset, and want to challenge myself.
so…what if i was bold enough to quit everything not in line with my business vision and idea of an online business that makes 5k+ per month with flexible and minimal management. what if i stopped wanting it all, and stopped fighting this tough upstream battle i am sometimes waging to work a job, get in better shape, keep my life organized, read business books, play ps3 games, be an awesome husband and build a business all at once.
(i almost wrote this article about dropping everything to run an ironman, i really want to do that too, training for those things are like another job)
what would that look like?
- i would quit my 9-5, stop working out on a strict schedule (or getting mad when i don’t), ease up on keeping everything ruthlessly organized in my life as is my way.
- i would need to sell my car after a year (to avoid payments) or so, which is probably inconsequential.
- i would need to get really passionate about something specific. so much so people would see me as “off”.
- i would have to get really committed to being a salesman for myself everyday.
- i would need to come up with some pretty convincing arguments and commitments to my wife for quitting a good job that i get “enough” satisfaction and security from. this would be the biggest mental and day to day challenge, because my life impacts my wife’s and i want to make her happy.
what if it all failed
- what if after 6 months i wasn’t making any money and it wasn’t going well? i’d have to get another job, one i might hate, to pay bills, and feel like an income producer.
- i might feel less fulfilled than i do now if i had to get a crummy job. i might feel temporarily like a loser, and let down or be looked down on to some friends and family. i might not find a job.
- i’d have less stuff, maybe no car.
- i run the off-chance risk of getting injured and not having health insurance.
- i’d miss a lot of movies, tv shows, and social relate-ability.
- there might be a few heated conversations with my wife about “being a slacker” or something similar
- i might spin my wheels and work more hours, but make less, and produce less.
…honestly though, i’d probably just make a little less, and have to find a new job if things didn’t work out eventually. my identity isn’t my job, i believe i have a higher calling than that, one that’s more about character.
that’s all i can think of in terms of what i’d have to give up or could potentially lose. is that really it? no one died, the sky didn’t fall down? a little less money, comfort and some personal ego and confidence injury. certainly not good stuff, but not the end of the world, and probably easily repaired in another 6 months.
now for the “what if’s” and things went well
- what if my products, services, and online authority generated $75,000 a year with potential for more the next.
- what if i woke up everyday more energized because i was doing something i love, and it was paying the bills (and then some) on my own schedule.
- what if because my work was paying me over and over, and my business notability (saturation) was growing, i had more time in my day to day to read, run, travel, pray, give and play.
- what if i could pay for better vacations, and have more flexibility to spend time with maria.
- what if i was able to train for long distance triathlons while running a business that generates $75k a year. cool.
- what if my personal endeavors helped 200 people or businesses a year and i got to see it right in front of my face. what about 2000.
wow those potential rewards sound pretty awesome, they’d probably sound unfair to people or like some sort of scam if i was just listing them off to someone as an all day reality, mostly the more time and more money part, yet so many people live like this. (want proof? i can offer you some, and so can sean ogle)
this imagery is pretty powerful. it’s high risk when you consider going for your goals bar-none, it’s also high reward.
(reality check – even if i had all the time in the world, i’d still have the same will power challenges to motivate myself to action and maintain the business)
sometimes i have tastes of these rewards because of my business, and lifestyle changes. when you mix mastery over something you enjoy that brings financial freedom, and time to pursue new things and your passions…..it’s like life’s “good stuff fusion experience”.
we all have tastes of this if we’ve ever taken some extended time off (minus the income).
this imagery can help remind your dream is possible if you make the right big moves, and that even if you fail horribly, the world won’t end, and likely the damage won’t even be that bad. new experiences and doing things out of your comfort zone are good tough things. try it in your next journal entry, blog post, status whatever.
reflection
i often land on the side of wanting it all and trying to do it all, but that’s not necessarily better or possible.
in truth, i’m scared, and i think i can hit my goals while taking on everything else. it won’t be as easy but i think it’s possible. maybe i just want to be safe though, maybe it’s easier to make excuses this way, or i get to appear more normal. it can be frustrating. hello mental struggle….i digress.
after playing this little mind game i’m much more likely to take a few big risks in the near future, and realize it wouldn’t be so bad if things went wrong.
life’s here to live. you should write out a list of what would happen if you dropped everything to pursue a big goal or calling.
there’s so much potential greatness to be had. what am i putzing around for? what are you putzing around for?
Photo: Das Experiment