How bad do you want it?

With every client I work with, I am reminded of three of the key elements absolutely necessary for success in creating change in our lives and organizations. We have to want it. We have to be willing to make the time, space and energy to do the work and hold the intentions to get it. And we have to take ownership for our results. No excuses. No blaming. No passing the buck. No “I’m so busy my goals have to go to the bottom of the priority list.” No “Somebody else has to change.” Nope, I’m talking, full responsibility and ownership for achieving the results we say we want. Period.

It’s okay if we’re not totally clear on what we want (in fact, much of my work is done helping people find that for themselves and, for some, it can take years to find “the thing” – so for those out there that are unclear, rest assured you’re not alone.) What is important is that there is a commitment and a yearning to be awake to the process, to see where we might be part of the “problem,” to pro-actively seek and take the time, to be willing to look and find the “no, not that’s” in our lives and to make conscious room in our lives to work on finding the big “YES.”

For when someone knows where they want to go and they truly want it, they can committed to that end result. They can move. I don’t care how hard it is or how big a dream, if the commitment is there and they’re willing to create a plan (which may change, btw) and stick with it, they’ll get there. Doesn’t matter so much that it’s the “perfect plan or goal” but rather that they’re actively heading in that direction. They’re doing something to get what they want. And THAT is fulfilling. Engaging the challenges, stepping out of comfort zones and dealing with the unexpected along the way, becomes easier when we’re connected to that deep want and the compelling reasons we want it for.

But you have to want it. And you have to take full responsibility for getting it. And then you can enjoy it….not just the result, but the process itself.