A Valuable Lesson for Actually Taking the Right Action

Ever feel like you are lying to yourself about why you don’t reach your goals, but you can't put your finger on why this is so. Like you're working hard but somehow getting nowhere. Like you're committed to your goals but your results tell a different story? Well today. I'm going to ask you the most uncomfortable question you're likely to face all year. It's a question that will either set you free or make you squirm. If it makes you squirm, then you definitely need to hear it. Here's the question that changed everything for me and that can change everything for you too.

QUESTION: If an outside observer watched you for a week, how serious would they say you are about achieving your goals? Not how serious you think you are. Not how serious you feel. Not how serious you say you are. But how serious would a complete stranger, with no emotional investment, no excuses to make, no feelings to protect… how serious would they say you are?

Would they say you are doing what it takes to reach your goals?Or would they say you are really just kidding yourself and that your actions don’t quite match up?

If the real answer is that you are just kidding yourself, then you need to take a closer look at your priorities. Do your priorities algin with your actions? There are two types of priorities in life: #1. The Say Priority - the priorities you say you have, and #2. The Show Priority - priorities your actions show you have. How big is your gap between these two?

I call this the Say-Show gap.

And here's the uncomfortable truth, for most of us that gap is huge. It highlights the deception we live. For instance, we say we want to build our business, but we spend hours on social media. We say we want to write a book, but we binge Netflix instead. We say we want to get in shape, but we skip the gym for an urgent meeting. We say we want to be present with our family, but we check our phone while standing in the kitchen as your kid talks to you.

Here's what is sneaky about this… the gap grows slowly and out of sight. It doesn't happen overnight. You start the year on fire with exciting goals, ambitious plans, a clear vision, and you write them all down. You tell everybody about them. You envision your transformed life. But somewhere along the way you slip up, just a little bit here and a little bit there.And you say to yourself, just this time I’ll do this instead. And that tiny little slip builds on the next slip. That tiny crack grows larger. It's too small to notice at first. It’s too easy to rationalize and too comfortable to ignore. But a silent shift has taken place. The reality of our days morphs the ambition of our years, and the achievement of our goals suffers. Can you relate?

If so, let's use the observer test to check your reality. Let's get specific about what that observer would see in your life:

Health goal: You say you want to lose 20 pounds. The observer sees you're having dessert 4 nights this week.

Business goal: You say you want to double revenue. The observer sees you're avoiding difficult sales calls.

Relationship goals: You say you want to strengthen your marriage. The observer sees you sitting on your laptop late every night.

Learning goals: You say you want to develop new skills. The observer sees you scrolling Facebook for 2 or more hours daily.

So based on your goals, what would that observer report.

Consistency or excuses?

Discipline, or distraction?

Courage or avoidance?

Focus or scattered attention?

Growth or stagnation?

Don't answer too quickly. Give it some thought. Really think about it. What would they actually see? Would they find a big gap between what you say you want and what your actions show you're working toward?

If you’re like me, there’s a bigger gap than you expected. Am I right?

Here's How to Close Your Say-Show Gap.

Starting today, take these steps.

Step #1:Take the brutal audit yourself. For each of your major goals, review your actions over the past 7 days, and track your actions for the next 7 days. Not your intentions. Not your plans. Your actual activities and accomplishments.

Step #2: Use the observer exercise. Ask yourself honestly what would a stranger conclude about your priorities based solely on your actions?

Step #3: Make the alignment decision. There are two alignment decisions you can make: 1) change your actions to match your goals; or 2) change your goals to match your actual actions. Most people try to change their goals because it's easier. But you should know that winners change their actions because it's necessary. You have to show up and take the right actions in order to achieve.

So here is the uncomfortable truth. Your priorities aren't what you say; they are what you do. Your commitments aren't what you feel; they are what you show. Your goals aren't what you want, they're what you pursue.

Today can be your liberation day!

The beautiful thing is, once you see the size of your say-show gap, you CAN minimize it and even close it. Once you admit that you have a disconnect, you can reconnect. Once you face the truth you, you can change it. You just have to take the right actions and show up!

Close the gap and change your life!

p.s., If you would like some assistance in earning extra income from home, check out my free home-biz jump-start guide. Click here: GetBizGuide