Have You Had This Crucial Phone Call?
There's a crucial call I have with each of my private clients. I think it's fantastic, but I'm not sure they'd agree in the moment.
But every single one of them hits this phone call at some point.
It goes like this:
"I KNOW all of this, I've heard it all before. You aren't telling me anything I don't already know," says Jill.
"I'm sure that's true. The principles of change are the same no matter who you work with.
BUT - if what you 'know' isn't changing your behavior and ultimately your day-to-day results, all you have is knowledge.
As I said in the beginning, our focus isn't about knowledge, it's about mastery. And mastery = practice. DO-ing it.
If you believe some magic pill will appear and suddenly you'll have everything you've ever wanted, you'll be waiting forever.
Action IS required.
If you want to get up earlier every day, you have to physically set the alarm and make an effort to get up. And if it doesn't work on the first day, you have to keep after it until it sticks.
Persistence matters.
If what you know isn't changing your behavior and ultimately your day-to-day results, all you have is knowledge.
It takes focused, persistent action to change. If you aren't on board for that, then nothing will work for you. Not me, not God, not the Dalai Lama."
[insert a pause long enough I checked the phone connection]
"I was afraid of that."
"Isn't that a good thing though? It means you can act now. You don't have to wait."
"Yeah, but it also means it's my responsibility. I can't blame anything else."
"That's also true."
I won't lie. This moment is hard. It takes time to grapple with. But this is what happens a few calls later...
"Yeah, like if you want a glass of water, you can't just sit on the couch hoping the water will pour itself. The water is right there waiting for you, but you have to physically TURN ON THE TAP. The action isn't hard, but you have to DO it," says Jill.