Beginning is always the hardest part.  It’s where I got stuck, and it’s probably where you’re stuck too.  You know that something needs to change, but you don’t have a clue where to begin.

First, know that most of us have that same feeling.  Change is hard, and it’s important to recognize that.  It’s going to take some time to rebuild your momentum. But you can do it.  No matter how bad the situation seems, you can overcome it.

Maybe you’re like me.  Somewhere along the way, you tied success to attaining a certain level of income or a certain sum of money.  And you went all out trying to achieve it.  Then, you either wore out before you crossed the finish line or wondered why you weren’t happy or content when you did get there.  Or maybe you decided that success was about marrying someone with the right last name, or having the right kids, or living in the right neighborhood.  You guessed it. That doesn’t work either.

But there’s no need to beat yourself up.  We’re all human.  We’re all filled with the same basic wants, needs, and tendencies.  Just like our computers, we all pretty much run the same operating system – vulnerable to the same attacks, viruses, and hangups.  And all that is reiterated by what we see, what we read, and what we hear.  More than likely, we reinforce that programming each and every day.

But here’s the best part . . .

You can opt out.

You can pick another operating system.

Ready?

Then let’s get started. Take a deep breath. Grab a pen and paper.  Find a quiet place.  And take notes about what comes to mind as you keep reading.

To begin, think about these questions:

- What does success mean to you?
- When someone says, “You can have it all,” what do you think that means?

And some more:

- If time or money were not a consideration, how would you spend your days?
- If you could “do what you love,” what would that be?
- If you had to describe yourself using only three words, what would they be?

Think about these questions for a while and jot down your answers in a notebook.  Don’t worry about getting it exactly right.  Just get something on the paper.  You’ll have plenty of opportunities to rethink your answers as we walk through your journey. Go ahead; get started. We’ll check back in on Thursday.