What’s in your Toolbox?

We have a tendency to think that if only we could learn one more thing, maybe, just maybe, it would be the missing piece we’ve been searching for all these years.

Perhaps, we think, there’s a magic recipe somewhere out there that will bring us the kind of success that has eluded us until now. All we need to do is find it and everything will finally come together.

The problem is … the search never ends.

Our shelves are full of books and DVDs, offering plenty of advice on dieting and relationships and exercise and how to make a million, etc. We’ve digested them all and followed their suggestions – for a while anyway.

Then we got distracted by life.

Eventually we’re back at it, seeking again, looking for the next formula that promises to bring weight loss, prosperity, a better relationship, or fill in the blank: _____________

Hey, it’s good to be a life-long learner. I consider myself to be one. And we’re to be complimented for having a healthy desire to grow continuously. But there are times when we have to look at our existing inventory of knowledge and skills and decide that we already have enough to create the life we seek.

What we really need is to put into practice what we already know to be true. We already possess an abundance of solid ideas that can help us get whatever we want. The key is that we’ve got to put just a few of them to use on a consistent basis.

How about calling a ‘time out’ in our perpetual quest to find the latest secret.

Begin by reviewing those ideas which resonate most strongly with you, based on what you’ve learned from the experts, combined with what life has taught you personally. Then make a decision to put those strategies to work in your life on a daily basis.

Deep down you know that you will succeed if you stick with the plan long enough.

Commit to ‘work’ your program every day. You decide whether it’s going to be 10 or 20 or 30 minutes a day (or more), depending on other realities in your life. The most important factor of all, however, will be how badly you want to succeed at this particular goal. If you want it bad enough, you’ll find the time to squeeze it in.

Generally speaking, it’s better to allocate a small block of time to something every day than to devote a big chunk of time to it once a week.

The daily reinforcement will more likely lead to the healthy, long term habits you are trying to create.

Put it on your calendar as if it were a very important appointment with a special person, which of course it is. That person just happens to be you. When we honor daily commitments to ourselves, especially when it requires a certain discipline on our part, we steadily reinforce a healthy self-confidence which contributes to our prosperity in the fullest sense of the word.

Here’s to the wise use of the tools you already possess!