What’s easy to do, is easy not to do…

My mentor Jim Rohn taught me this little saying almost two years ago.  It is a really simple phrase, but it has a lot of meaning.  Since I read this, I am not saying it is easy to follow.  But as I continue to grow in different areas of my life, I find myself repeating this phrase to myself when there are things I don’t want to do.  What I have done is taken this little phrase and modified it to provide me the extra motivation that I need to make things happen the way I would like for them to happen in my life.

“What’s easy to do, is easy not to do”.  I have turned this into, “What do I want, and what do I have to do to get it”.  A slight modification to this phrase, but one that applies to me.  In my mind when things are hard, I tell myself that I can either do this or not, nothing will happen today when I make this decision, but choosing not to do something for a long period of time has major impact on my life.  The double-bacon cheeseburger at White Castle doesn’t hurt me today, tomorrow, or a month from now, but do it for 20 years and what happens.

What do I want, and what do I have to do to get it: I will be 35 years young in about two weeks.  My goal is to be in the best shape I have been in since my early twenties.

• What’s easy to do: get up a little earlier and work out, modify my eating habits, watch my calorie intake.
• What’s easy not to do: get up a little earlier and work out, modify my eating habits, watch my calorie intake.

What do I want, and what do I have to do to get it: My personal brand is to add value to myself so I can add value to others. Value=worth and to increase your worth (value) to the marketplace it requires you to increase your skill sets. Also, I can’t add value if my value never changes.

• What’s easy to do: Read 30 minutes a day, get out of my comfort zone, make networking a top priority, intentionally grow and develop, ask for feedback.
• What’s easy not to do: Read 30 minutes a day, get out of my comfort zone, network, be intentional about growth and development, be open to feedback.

What do I want, and what do I have to do to get it: Build a portfolio of opportunities for myself personally and professionally that deliver revenue streams, assets, and leveraging business contacts to make a difference with many kinds of organizations and businesses.

• What’s easy to do: take calculated risks, be growth minded, associate with different people, colleagues, and business associates, get involved.
• What’s easy not to do: take calculated risks, be growth minded, associate with different people, colleagues, and business associates, get involved.

To sum it up, I define “Easy” as something I can do, which means it is not beyond my ability to do it.  So when I find myself overwhelmed and tired, I remind myself of “What do I want, and what do I have to do to get it”, and the difference between getting it and not getting it, really comes down to doing what’s easy to do, and most things are easy to do, you just have to do it.