If you are going to become more successful, you have to get out of denial and face what isn’t working in your life. Do you defend or ignore how hostile and toxic your work environment is? Do you make excuses for your bad marriage? Are you in denial about your lack of energy, your excess weight, your ill health, or your level of physical fitness? Are you failing to acknowledge that sales have been on a consistent downward trend for the last 3 months? Are you putting off confronting an employee who is not delivering at an acceptable standard of performance? Successful people face these circumstances squarely, heed the warning signs, and take appropriate action, no matter how uncomfortable or challenging it might be.
Take action now
Make a list of what isn’t working in your life. Start with the seven major areas where you would normally set goals — financial, career or business, free time or family time, health and appearance, relationships, personal growth, and, finally, making a difference. Ask your staff, family, friends, class, group, coach, or team what they believe is not working.
Ask: What’s not working? How can we improve it? What requests can I make? What do you need from me? How can I help you? What do I/we need to do? What action steps can I/we take to get each of these situations to work the way I/we would like?
Do you need to talk to someone? Call a repairperson? Ask someone for help? Learn a new skill? Find a new resource? Read a book? Call an expert? Make a plan to fix it?
Choose one action and do it. Then keep taking another action and another action until you get the situation resolved.
* Source: The Success Principles by Jack Canfield