Are You Where You Want to Be?

You are where you are because you want to be there. Wait…what?

Even Zig Ziglar didn’t agree. He shared a story about receiving written directions late one night from a man at a gas station. Thirty minutes down the road, he learned he went the exact opposite direction he intended. He didn’t want to be there! He was only there because he received bad advice.

Well, if you know anything about Zig, he certainly wasn’t one to place blame. You may not be where you want to be. You may even have a dang good story as to why you aren’t there. But does that really matter?

And remember that you certainly won’t get there by looking backward. No matter your lot in life, no matter the bad advice you have taken in the past, no matter where you stand today, remember one thing: Today is the first day of the rest of your life. We use this saying a lot, but it’s as true as ever.

COVID-19 happened – and is happening – to all of us. We know many people that this invisible disease has impacted. For some it has been their own health or the health of a loved one, for others-isolation and loneliness, some – unending chaos, and others – financial hardship or a business lost. Trying to lay blame is not just counter-productive, it diminishes your potential to move forward.

“Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.” This was a quote by Victor E. Frank. He was holocaust survivor and lost both his parents and his wife in concentration camps.

So, here’s something that I really want you to think about: The baggage of blame and excuses is heavy. No matter how legitimate it is, the weight will always hold you down. 

For those cowboys out there, you probably know who Walt Woodard is. He qualified for the super-bowl of rodeo twenty times! He was crowned the world-champion heeler two of those times. And as impressive as this may sound, at 64 years young, his goal…to be the oldest guy to ever make the National Finals Rodeo in team roping.

You can’t carry baggage and do something like that. Walt also writes a fantastic column in The American Quarter Horse Journal. His theme is simple: winning.

Winning is different for everyone, but there is one constant for all of us— perseverance. You fall down…  you get back up. You never, ever give up.

Yes. Things may be very different now. Yes. Things may never be the same. Yes. You may be starting over. Yes. You can do it!

The difference between success and failure can often be a simple decision. You can choose to simply go through this time or you can grow through this time. The choice is yours, no one else’s.

My advice? Turn off your devices! Shut off the constant news, stop scrolling, and leave your baggage in your past. You are wasting what could be productive time by filling your mind with all the crazy in the world today.

So, speaking of good old’ Zig Ziglar: People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing—that’s why I recommend it daily. Which leads to Walt Woodard: You can’t be successful without clear rules.

The second piece of advice: set yourself some rules. Change your habits and your habits will change your mind. Change your mind and set your destiny.

At the end of the day, the right question isn’t Are You Where You Want to Be? The right question is How will you get there?