My “Enough” Moment
If you read My Mulligan story (2 parts) then you saw that I eluded to this “enough” moment, and how it was the turning point for me. None of the recovery, rebuild, reinvention that happened could or would have happened had I not had that moment of clarity. My “enough” moment.
For that reason, this “enough” moment is the only moment which truly matters. Without that moment you won’t have the resolve and commitment required to do whatever it takes to change your life.
Why People Fail to Change
Here’s a great example: New Year’s Resolutions. Ever make one? Ever keep one? Seriously, every year because our calendar rolls over to the next year millions of people around the world make a “resolution” to change something. “This will be the year I get in shape”. “This will be the year I get a new job”, “finish my degree”, “find love”, and the list goes on.
And of these millions of people who make these resolutions, how many actually keep them? I tried to find a study with statistics to support this, but the percentages varied too wildly across the different studies. Let’s just agree to say that very few keep them. 50% was the highest number I found, 28% was the lowest.
The question is, why do so many not follow through on these commitments? I mean, resolutions. The reason is because they lack the resolve to do so. Their motivating “why” of making the resolution isn’t strong enough in the first place. They haven’t had their “enough” moment yet, so it’s too easy to quit.
Parallel that with someone who has a heart attack, or whose spouse asks for a divorce, or is about to lose their house to foreclosure. These motivating “why” factors are compelling enough to get them to do whatever it takes to change their life. This is their “enough” moment.
Finding Your “Enough” Moment
Now does it have to be an existential crisis like the ones I mentioned? Of course not. All it has to be is the moment when you know, with absolute certainty, that you are done with the way things are. You won’t settle for things to stay the same or get worse. You are resolute (a real resolution) that you are going to change, and nothing can stop you.
In My Mulligan story you saw my “enough” moment. The time when I said to myself (and my loved ones) “I’m done with being sick and broke. This is changing, and I mean right now.” But the part that words don’t convey is – I meant it. And I knew I meant it. No wishy-washy doubting thoughts. Total clarity. No empty promises to myself or anyone else. I was doing this, and I was 100% all in. Let me say that again, because this phrase also changed my life…. ALL IN.
A Living Declaration
As I mentioned in My Mulligan story, taking that job that was well below my prior historical earnings was one step. A living declaration to myself and others that I was willing to do what I had to do. Not too terribly long after that, I landed what I’d call a breakthrough professional role. It wasn’t specifically intentional. But it definitely came about because I was willing to take a risk on earning less now to earn more later.
It was a startup company, and the guy who was bringing me in on his team, would later turn out to be the best boss, best partner, best colleague, and best fit for me as a co-builder of a young company. I used to tell people he was Robin Hood and I was Little John. But a more contemporary analogy would be he was Brady and I was Gronkowski. It just clicked.
Go All In
One of the things that he and I used to say to each other was “I’m all in”. Uncertainty of a new company? All in. Stressed about not closing enough deals? All in. Working an average of 96 hours a week? All in. We knew we could count on each other, and that both of us were fully committed to the same mission. By about the third year in this role, I was earning more than I’d ever earned in a year of my life. But this could not have happened if I had not had my “enough” moment.
Make Your Decision
Wherever you are right now, that itch you’re feeling to change, or maybe it’s not an itch and it’s actual pain, make your decision. Have your “enough” moment. Hit your bottom, whatever that is. Tired of financial stress? Make your decision. Sick of feeling rotten, unhealthy, overweight, or low energy? Decision time. Can’t take one more day of being lonely? You guessed it – decide.
No matter what that thing is or things are which are troubling you, they aren’t going to change until you have your “enough” moment. Well, not permanently anyway.
Build the Life You Want
So get there. This is the first step to becoming who you want to be. To building the life you want to live. To living up to your full potential.
Have your “enough” moment.
Make a decision that enough is enough, no more, never again. And mean it.
Then take an action right away. One to start, then follow it with another, and another, and so on. Don’t quit. Go all in. You are now on the path to changing your life and reinventing yourself.
Want to talk about it? I’m here for you. Want a resource I wrote called, Unstoppable: Your Blueprint to Reinventing Yourself? It’s free. Just let me know.