The other day I ate a tin of sardines for breakfast. I did this because I'm currently on a Ketogenic Diet. I've been eating Keto for over a year. Sardines have an almost perfect macro-nutrient profile for Keto: high-fat, moderate protein, almost no carbs. I eat a ketogenic diet for several reasons, but primarily to maintain a low level of bodyfat and because it regulates my mood and energy. I strength train 5 days a week and play ice hockey. I have a goal to be in the best shape of my life, inside and out, by my 40th birthday (about 18 months from now).
So I eat sardines on a strict calorie controlled ketogenic diet because it helps me achieve my goals. Not many people like sardines or have even tried them. But the fact is, I am willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my goals.
Whoop-dee-doo... good for me, right? What's the point of this post?
The point is, whether it's fitness and nutrition, business and career, personal finance, wealth, happiness, success, etc - Most People are not willing to to what it takes to succeed
I do some fitness and nutrition coaching on the side and the goals people have are almost universal - lost weight/body fat, build muscle mass, feel better/more energetic/less tired. "Ok, great" I say, and then I proceed to tell them what it's going to take.
Let's say I'm talking to a 6' 220lb, 30 year-old male with 35% body fat who has never really exercised or strength trained. This person says "I want to be strong and ripped". Ok, so let's target 10-12% bodyfat and 190lbs. I tell them "You need to eat 2000 calories per day for the next 6 months. This must be strictly controlled. You must measure and weigh everything that goes in your mouth. You can only drink water. You should reduce and ideally eliminate alcohol and caffeine. You need to start this 4 day per week progressive strength training schedule. After those first 6 months you must increase your caloric intake to 3000 calories per day for the next 18 months. We can re-evaluate then. By the way, it will take you at least 3 years to get where you want to be".
That is the reality.
Typically, the person has the expectation that they could completely change their body and their lifestyle in 3 months or maybe 6. Then the excuses start. I can't track my food. I eat out. I have a social life. I like to drink. I enjoy smoking or coffee or chocolate or -Insert food here-. Isn't there like an easier/faster way?
And this sums up the attitude that most people have towards life. People will talk about all the things they want to achieve, but then recoil at the reality of what it will actually take to succeed. Since people like to protect their egos and resist change and growth, its easy to just fall back into existing habits. The fact is, habits are replaceable. It is just as east to exercise as it is to watch TV - it's just a different habit.
I've used an example from fitness and nutrition, but this mindset is pervasive, especially when it comes to wealth and money. Almost everyone wants wealth and money and yet aren't willing to do what it takes to achieve their goal. If you want to make money, you have to have a plan - you have to know what to do. I see so many people wasting time and money on life/business coaches who are motivators, Gary Vaynerchuk is a great example. But guess what, being 'motivated' is the lowest common denominator. It isn't good enough. Hustle is not good enough. Anyone can "hustle" and however hard you think you're hustling, someone else will hustle harder.
Hustle is necessary but insufficient.
You need to know what to do. In diet and exercises, you need a plan - a specific diet to follow and a specific strength training program. No improvisation, no guessing. You need the recipe. And THEN you need to choose to do it - this is the motivation part.
Most people don't have a motivation problem. Just observe people when they do something they enjoy or that they are skilled at. They do not require extrinsic motivation to get up and do it.
What people need is: a plan, the appropriate skills and the necessary tools. If you want to make money you need a plan, a precise plan of the exact things you are going to do. You need to also have the skills to execute that plan. If your plan involves writing a piece of software, but you don't know how to code - then you lack the skills and your plan will fail, so you either need to acquire the skill or hire it.
I've found that forcing people to get specific with their goals helps them in making a plan. I even go so far as to say "Ok, you want 1 million dollars. How is that money going to be sent to you? Wire payments? Cryptocurrency? cash? Who is going to send you this money? Businesses? Individuals? Governments? How are you going to spend or invest money to generate those amounts owing to you? How much money do you need to start? and so on. Going through an exercise like this helps to evaluate "ideas" to see if they pass the smell test. Working backwards from a goal is always a great place to start. It helps to envision the exact future that must be created in order to arrive at the desired destination.
To summarize, if you want to live a fulfilling life you need to have goals. Your goals should be tested to make sure they are the right ones. To achieve your goals you need to have a plan, skills and tools. Motivation is the lowest common denominator ,it is necessary but insufficient in achieving goals. You have to be willing to accept what reality tells you and be committed to do what it takes to achieve the goal you set out to accomplish.