Self-Mastery: the Ultimate Goal

What’s standing in the way of you reaching the level of success you desire, enjoying a great relationship, or seeing your abs for the first time?

Is the problem that you don’t know enough? No.

Is there too much competition? Not even close.

The only obstacle is a lack of mastery over yourself. Don’t believe it?

You will.

Are you in great shape? Do you only eat healthy foods? Why not? Is it because you’re confused about which foods are healthy and which are not? Are you confused about whether it’s better to exercise by running down the block or by sitting on the couch?

Hardly.

You know enough to make significant changes in your life. Knowledge isn’t the challenge. The challenge is managing yourself and your behaviors.

Haven’t had a date in a year? Are you confused about how to get a date? The key to getting dates is to go out and meet people. How many new people have you spoken to in the last week?

Are you able to say the things that need to be said?

Are you able to be silent when you know you should?

Can you make yourself go to the gym or eat an apple instead of a piece of apple pie?

Mastering yourself is the main goal you need to achieve. From that, you can achieve all your other goals!

Use these strategies to become the master of yourself

Make a list of the things you should do each day, but aren’t.

This list might include things like exercising, playing the piano for 20 minutes, drinking eight glasses of water, paying your bills, flossing, and making social connections.

Make a list of the things you do each day, but shouldn’t

Maybe you stay up too late, watch too much TV, waste time playing video games, smoke, and show up late to work. Think about all the things you do that sacrifice your health, career, finances, social life, and happiness.

Begin by addressing one item from each list.

Slowly eliminate one of the negative items and add one of the positive items. Habits are challenging to change, but you’ve developed habits without even trying. Imagine what you can accomplish intentionally.

Have a long-term focus.

Negative behaviors have short-term rewards. Eating ice cream or watching TV are rewarding immediately. They can be harmful in the long-term. If you can begin to think long-term with your habits you can make huge strides in your life.

Adopt a long-term focus.

Consider the long-term implications of your behavior before you indulge in it. What will it cost you down the road if you don’t change?  Once you see this you will realize there are things that are best in moderation or not at all. Procrastination, excuses, crappy food, alcohol and negative people might all be put on your “short list” or that you decide to not do at all.

Realize that your mind is the enemy

Why does a person choose to eat a bag of potato chips instead of an orange? She imagines herself eating chips. Then she imagines eating an orange. Then she chooses the one that feels better, the one that is easier or will satisfy cravings. But your mind is deceiving you. It’s preprogrammed to be concerned with safety and reproduction. It is trained to run on instant and quick fixes.

It cares little for your longevity or your long-term prospects. Humans seek pleasure, just like any other animal. The advantage humans have over animals is the ability to make decisions and not follow instinct. The disadvantage humans have is the ability to create pleasurable foods and activities that are detrimental to long-term success and survival.

Self-mastery is the key.

If you can master yourself, everything else becomes easy.

It’s easy to get ahead at work.

It’s easy to be healthy.

It’s easy to save money and maintain relationships.

If you can you master yourself. And I know you can.  You have wishes and dreams for a better life and you can it by mastering YOU.

Key your attention to the long-term impact of behaviors and avoid short-term pleasures that lead to long-term challenges and you will be on your way to creating a life you love.

Here’s to creating the life you LOVE!