Two Simple Words Every Successful Person Says Daily
Miss these and your dreams will never come true
Scientists did a study to find out why some businesses succeed and some fail. When they looked at the executives, they noticed something striking that came down to just two words.
The executives who said ‘I should’ or ‘I ought’ to failed.
The successful executives chose a more powerful word to guide them.
I will.
Imagine you run into a friend you haven’t seen in years. You spend a few minutes chatting and you realize you have an appointment.
“We should get together for coffee,” you say.
“I’d love to,” your friend replies.
You exchange information and go your separate ways.
What’s missing? You didn’t promise to call back. Your coffee date will never get on the calendar until you say, “I will call you.”
Should makes you feel guilty
Your family and friends mean well. They’re just trying to help. But when they offer unsolicited advice, they can make your blood boil.
“You shouldn’t talk to your kids like that.”
“You should really start saving money for the future.”
“You should’ve bought a house in this neighborhood.”
When people insert the word “should” into a sentence full of advice, they’re telling you you’re wrong without saying it directly. They’re giving you their opinion and implying it’s better than yours. They might even stick out their noses a bit for emphasis .
You’ll probably want to leave or at least change the subject.
Guilt can leave us wanting to run or change what we’re doing.
When you run, you tell yourself, “I know I should, but I really don’t want to. What’s on Netflix? I’ll get started after this episode. I think I’ll wait until the morning. Yeah, that’s good. I’ll start fresh then.”
The problem is tomorrow never comes.
Good intentions are not enough
Good intentions make you feel good. They lead you to say things like:
- “I’ll have to try that restaurant sometime.”
- “We need to watch that movie.”
- “I’d love to get together one weekend.”
That good feeling is wasted when nothing happens. You get your will involved by answering one question.
When?
Give your plans a time. It’s why you make an appointment to see the doctor, the mechanic, or your best friend. With a firm date, you will do it.
When you say “I should” you merely state a wish. Or maybe you just agree so the other person will leave you alone. Until you’re willing, you won’t.
The will says go
Your will is what moves you to begin.
Suppose you want to screen in your deck. First, you find out what materials you’ll need. You measure to see how much. And if you don’t know how to do it yourself, you either learn or hire someone.
Then you give yourself a deadline.
Later you invite friends over to have dinner on the finished deck room. You install an outlet or two so you can plug in a TV or a mobile speaker for music. You’ll definitely need some furniture, so you buy an outdoor sofa and a few padded chairs.
Telling yourself you should is worthless unless it activates your will.
People succeed because they want to
The executives whose businesses succeeded took regular action.
That doesn’t mean they were perfect. They faced challenges daily. The difference is they addressed those challenges when they arose. They considered their options. They made choices. And they moved forward.
When they found themselves off course, they made adjustments.
Activity is great, but don’t confuse it with accomplishment.
Surfing the net is activity. So is watching TV. Or washing the dishes. Or working on a project. Any movement is activity.
What converts activity into accomplishment is purpose. Why are you doing it? What do you want to achieve? What will you have when the activity is over?
When you have a purpose, you invite your will to help you accomplish it.
When you have no purpose, you drift like a sailboat in the wind. Purpose moves you to set your sail so you move where you want, not where others want you.
Countdown to Success
Mel Robbins became an international bestselling author when she published The 5 Second Rule.
The rule is easy to implement. When you want to do something, just count down from 5 to 1 and go!
It’s like jumping into a pool on a hot summer day. The cold water may shock you at first, but you’ll get used to it a lot faster than if you creep into the water.
You can’t do that without your will.
Do it often and your will gets stronger. Don’t worry about being perfect. Just do your best. Learn as you go. And know you can make adjustments when you need to.
Perfectionism kills more success than it starts.
Do This Now
What will you jump into today? What will you accomplish before lunch? What will you do before the five o’clock whistle blows?
You’re free to decide what you’re willing to do.
Put a date on one thing you think you should do. Turn your best intention into accomplishment. Then tell me about it in the responses.
Your will has power when you work with it.
