Nov 18, 2019 | Podcast
Hi, friends! It’s Elizabeth here, and I am so excited to share Episode 683 of Primal Potential with you today! Primal Potential is a podcast all about you — your ability to change is not defined by yesterday and doesn’t need to wait until tomorrow. Your transformation is now, no matter what stage you find yourself in life!
I just got back home from an absolutely fantastic weekend in Portland, Oregon hosting my annual weekend workshop, Ascend. This workshop is an incredible weekend of inspiration and opportunity for women like you who are ready to take charge and reach their full potential, and this year was such a success! I met with so many ambitious women who have really wonderful goals for themselves. I know we all left feeling more empowered than ever to succeed in our businesses, relationships, and personal lives.
I have so many massive takeaways from the event this year that I could talk to you about, but there’s one, in particular, I want to share today. At the very beginning of Ascend, I shared with the women who attended that I felt a huge sense of responsibility. Of course, I felt a responsibility to add a lot of value and exceed people’s expectations. But I also felt this huge and specific responsibility to ensure that nobody would come in, learn a lot, massively raise the bar on their potential, and then go home and not make any changes.
So I want to talk to you about that space between learning and development — the space that I call “The Gap.” And by talking about “The Gap” and how it makes us feel, I hope to empower you to close the gap and start living out your highest potential!
What Is “The Gap”?
Let’s talk a little bit more about what exactly “The Gap” is. I define the gap as the space between where you are right now — what you’re doing right now, your habits, patterns, and behaviors — and what you know you want to be doing. It’s the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
This is a huge topic of discussion in the personal development world, and of course it is because it’s such a common experience! Have you ever found yourself living in the gap? I know I can raise my hand for this question.
Have you ever listened to a podcast or attended an event like Ascend, learned so much, and felt so empowered, only go back home and return to your life without implementing any of the new strategies you’ve learned? Maybe you’ve invested in some fantastic financial coaching, but you haven’t actually used what you’ve learned to start making better financial investments. Or perhaps you’ve spent time consulting with a nutritionist and a fitness instructor, and you’ve attended workout classes and weekend fitness workshops, but when it’s all over, you fall back into your old patterns.
And what so many of us do in that situation is actually make the problem worse. We go back to our podcasts, we read more books, and we gain more information, but we continue not to take action. That widens the gap.
And the worst part about all of this is that we start to feel discouraged. As the gap widens, we experience loss of self-esteem and feelings of being overwhelmed. Shame goes up, worthiness goes down, we feel terrible about ourselves, and the gap continues to widen even further.
I think that the desire to improve yourself is a real gift. I’m so inspired at events like Ascend because I get to meet so many women who have an honest desire to improve themselves, their business, and their families! But the truth is, we have a responsibility to close the gap. But how can we do that? What does it take to close the gap?
You Can Decide To Close The Gap
Have you ever ridden on a subway in London? Do you know what the announcer says over the loudspeaker when a subway train is boarding? One of the attendees at Ascend this year mentioned this to me, and I think it’s so relevant to this discussion. When a new subway train is boarding in London, the announcer says, “Mind the gap.”
And what she means is, “mind the gap between the platform and the train, so you don’t fall down or get stuck!” But I think this applies to “The Gap” we’ve been talking about.
“Mind the gap.” Grow your awareness of it; that’s always the first step. When you’re aware that you’ve gathered all this knowledge and the tools and resources you need, but you’re not taking the steps necessary to implement that information, you can actually start to bridge the gap.
From there, you have to choose to take action. That’s your true responsibility here: decide to close the gap through action. You don’t need a 30-day plan or a 90-day plan. You just need to act.
And you can do it today. You can decide to close the gap. What choices can you make today, in the next hour, to propel you toward your goal?
Maybe your goal is to change your relationship with food. And you’ve spent time talking with a nutrition coach, and you’ve listened to fitness podcasts and memorized the Golden Rules of Carbs and Fat Loss, but you haven’t taken any action. You’re still in the gap, and you know it because your actual relationship with food hasn’t changed. As a result, you feel increasing shame and frustration and defeat.
So how can you close the gap? Decide to take action. What action can you take right now that will help close the gap? It doesn’t have to be big — any action at all starts to close the gap. Maybe you go through your grocery list, cross off some junk food, and add some healthy fruits and vegetables. Perhaps you do all your meal prep for the next three days. Maybe you finally call a friend and ask them to be your accountability partner. You could do all those things today! With each small action you take, you make the gap between who you are and who you want to be smaller.
The Gap Is Always Changing
Here the other thing about the gap: it’s always changing. As your goals shift and you change your lifestyle to fit them, the gap will get wider again. That’s okay! It’s normal! The key is to continue to mind the gap and take new actions to close it again.
But it can be difficult. As we’ve already talked about, when the gap gets wider, we start to experience shame, discouragement, and defeat. But I want to empower you today to believe that those feelings do not define who you are. They’re just the world’s way of telling you that you’re in the gap.
Let me repeat that: Your feelings of shame and unworthiness and defeat do not define who you are. They are absolutely not a reflection of your characters or your ability to change and grow. They’re just signals that the gap is widening. They provide an opportunity to mind the gap, evaluate where you need to take action, and reorient yourself to continue pursuing your goals.
And remember, it doesn’t have to be a Herculean effort. You don’t have to dash through every obstacle and build a perfect business and perfect marriage and perfect body in the next 15 minutes! All you have to do is take some simple action. Small steps will ultimately close the gap and transform you from who you are into who you want to be.
I talked with one of the awesome women who attended Ascend, and she put it like this: every choice I make either widens the gap or closes the gap. And it’s true — all you have to do is make choices that close the gap. And when the gap shifts, reevaluate and continue making choices to close it again.
What can you do today to close the gap? What choices can you make to ensure you’re making the gap smaller and not wider? Seriously, ask yourself these questions, and choose to act on them today.
Are You Ready To Close The Gap?
Take a few minutes to evaluate yourself — are you in the gap? Are you experiencing feelings of overwhelm and frustration and disappointment and shame? Are you ready to take action to reach your goals today?
Remember what I said earlier: It is a real gift to desire to improve yourself. Not everyone has that desire; some people are content to live their lives without changing at all. They’re not interested in extending to that outer edge of the spectrum. They’re not listening to the podcasts, reading the books, or attending events and workshops. They’re not interested in growing, and so they’re not creating the gap.
But if you’re Primal Potential and reading this post right now, you probably do want to change. You’re ambitious. You have goals and dreams that you are worthy of achieving, but when we don’t take action to reach those goals and dreams, we can fall into the gap. It’s just a fact.
But you can close the gap. I hope that you feel empowered to do that. You ladies are incredible, and your transformation starts the moment you decide.
Now, if you’d like some extra support, a little more coaching, and accountability, I want you to get on the waitlist for our next 12 Weeks of Transformation! In this program, I work with people in a much more personal and structured way to create change. We tackle our excuses head-on and find the core values that will motivate you to take action. If you’re not sure what to do next, I encourage you to check out 12 Weeks to Transformation and get on that waitlist!
Join Now
I’d also love to connect with you via text! I send out text messages with my daily mindset upgrades and daily encouragement. I know they will empower you as you take action and close the gap!
Thanks, everyone! Talk to you later!
Elizabeth Benton
Nov 14, 2019 | Podcast
In January 2019 I joined a mastermind that forced me to step outside my comfort zone. Surrounded by 7, 8 and 9-figure business owners, I’ve developed an entirely new perspective toward certain aspects of business and life.
In this episode, I share 7 important lessons I’ve learned from this mastermind, which I wrote down while traveling home from the most recent in-person mastermind we held. These lessons don’t just apply to successful business owners, but to anyone in all walks of life.
I’ve written an article that accompanies this episode below, so whether you choose to read, listen or both, be sure to spend some time reflecting on these lessons. I have, and the impact it’s had on me so far has been incredible.
IN TODAY’S SHOW YOU WILL LEARN:
- How you can take part in a free 7-day challenge that I’m running, and the two different ways you can sign up.
- The story behind how I joined this high-end mastermind, and how uncomfortable it made me feel when I did.
- The powerful lesson I learned from investing nearly $30,000 into this mastermind, and how this lesson applies to everyone (whatever sum of money is involved)
- The 7 powerful lessons I’ve learned from the most recent in-person mastermind that not only pushed me further outside my comfort zone but helped me reflect on my recent growth.
- One of the biggest differences between successful people living purposeful lives and everyone else still realizing what this looks like.
- The important role change plays in growth and development, and how successful people perceive it.
- A surprising lesson I learned about alternative revenue streams
- The reason why I signed up for another year in this mastermind, but the emotion that was missing this time around.
TODAY’S RESOURCES:
Doing this pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I was nervous. I had my doubts about whether I was ready…
And the money I had to invest in this? **puffs out cheeks** that part intimated the heck out of me!
Yet as I look back almost one year on, I know it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!
You see, in January 2019 I joined a high-end mastermind. Most people in this mastermind were already at 7-figures. The purpose of it was to help us grow both personally and professionally through internal work and through their network.
Since January, we’ve had three 3-day mastermind events where we’ve got together, listened to guest speakers, set goals and taken part in A LOT of exercises and workshops. There’s a lot of on-going work, too, with monthly group calls, coaching calls and an online community.
But it’s these in-person mastermind events that have really pushed me.
As an introvert, I don’t find it easy working in groups like this where I don’t know anyone.
And when we first began, I knew nobody!
We’re also talking about really successful people here. I felt like I had to step up and become a higher version of myself. It was intimating, and I felt a lot of internal resistance.
I see this often when I talk to people interested in joining the 12 Weeks to Transformation.
They want to join. They know it will bring value to their life.
Yet they’re worried if they’re ready to make the leap. The money involved intimidates them. They know they’ll have to step outside their comfort zone, so they look for excuses as to why they shouldn’t.
I did this. This is what I went through. But I fought back because I knew I NEEDED it.
I’m glad I did because the growth I’ve experienced this year is incredible. I’ve learned so much from joining this mastermind, and today I would like to share 7 of these most powerful lessons with you.
I talk about each of these lessons in greater depth in the episode that accompanies this article. I encourage you to listen in full as it gives you a true insight into the power of pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and surrounding yourself with people who empower you to step into your higher self.
1: We Don’t Ask For Help Because We Can’t Figure it Out on Our Own, But Rather So We Get Another Perspective (and get there quicker).
Everyone at the mastermind was capable of finding the solution on their own. They weren’t there because they were unable of doing it on their own. They were experienced, already successful business people.
Some of them had multiple businesses!
Yet they chose to NOT do it on their own.
It’s an objection I often hear people say: I already know what I need to do. I just need to do it.
Knowing what you need to do is only part of the process. It’s often important to involve others because they give you a fresh perspective, a different outlook and help you get there quicker.
Take this most recent mastermind event… I arrived clear on my goals for 2020. I knew what I wanted to do and I was clear on how I would do it. Yet as I shared these with the group, they helped me spot things I hadn’t seen. They offered new ideas, and have helped me improve on my goals.
I didn’t need a solution. Yet they still helped me create a better one…
2: Everyone Has Some Degree of Fear
I’ve talked about fear a lot in recent episodes. It’s always part of the process. No matter who you are or how experienced you may be, you’ll always have some degree of fear.
- The fear of failure…
- The fear of not being good enough…
- The fear of what other people will think.
- The fear of change…
Everyone at the mastermind had fear. In fact, they showed greater fear than most people because they’re in the middle of building something huge (a business, new project, a massive goal). They were afraid and had doubts, and I imagine they can’t sleep some nights because of it.
Yet these same people see fear as a doorway, not a barrier.
Fear is part of the journey, but you must proceed anyway. It’s a feeling, like any other. Not a barrier. Not an excuse not to. Just a feeling that you can feel and move past.
3: We All Have Lower Limits and Upper Limits
I talk about this in greater depth in the episode, so I encourage you to listen to it in full.
An important lesson I’ve learned while surrounding myself with these people is that we all set ourselves two limits:
- A Lower Limit: I can definitely do that. It will be easy.
- An Upper Limit: I’m not sure I can do that. That’s beyond me.
Everything between these two limits represents your comfort zone. This is where you spend most of your life… doing more than what you know you can do, but never pushing yourself too hard.
Yet the powerful lessons I’ve learned is that we create these limits for ourselves.
They are stories YOU make up.
You define these parameters, and you, if you choose to, can redefine these parameters. You can raise the bar of the lower limit and bring the upper one closer to you. You can make your comfort zone less comfortable. It’s a choice, and it’s one everyone in the mastermind was conscious of making.
4: We Get To Choose To Be Better Every Day
You can choose to be a little better each day.
- You can wake up a little earlier.
- Workout a little harder.
- Eat a little better.
- Improve how you communicate with your clients.
- Be more mindful…
Small, continuous improvements make a difference. Yet this is what seems to put so many people off.
You convince yourself that you’re too busy to make significant changes. But you don’t need a lot of time to change. Just make a start and commit to being better each day.
Those in the mastermind live by this rule. They have huge goals and continue to make massive progress each time we meet. Yet they focus on turning up each day and committing to the journey ahead.
5: Successful People Create Clarity
This one has been huge for me!
Everyone in the mastermind is very clear about what they want from their life. Not just their goals, but the bigger picture and how it fits into their desired lifestyle. There’s a huge difference between the two, and it’s one that stops you from becoming an Unhappy Achiever.
You know the type, I’m sure.
Maybe you’re one of them…
A person who achieves their goals and is always progressing, but still never happy.
Why is that? Well, they’re not clear on what they really want… what they really want!
Take me… for years, I wanted to lose weight. I was clear on this goal. But I was never clear on the actual impact losing weight would have on my life, relationships and everything else.
Once I got clear on this, I gave the goal to lose weight greater purpose. I was clear on the big picture and the life I wanted to live. Achieving goals has been much easier to do ever since.
More importantly, they mean more when I do achieve them.
6: Be Okay with Change
This one surprised me, but around 90% of those in the mastermind has made some huge pivot at some stage this year. At each one of our in-person masterminds, a few people seemed to arrive and say something like, “Yeah. That didn’t work out. We had to scrap that and do this instead.”
They changed course and weren’t afraid to do so.
- Maybe it didn’t work out…
- Maybe it no longer aligned with what they wanted…
- Maybe they realized it wasn’t a good fit for their business model…
- Maybe it was their actual business model that needed to change…
These were big changes that brought a lot of pressure into their lives. Yet they realized a change was needed and so they made it. They didn’t see it as a failure, but rather a lesson and opportunity to do something else. They embraced change, adjusted and moved on with little-to-no resistance.
7: A New Outlook on “Network Marketing”
This one also surprised me…
I’ve never really known many network marketers. So over the years, I’ve developed a perception of what it is and the sort of person who does it. I didn’t think successful, 7-figure business owners would have anything to do with something like network marketing.
Yet, around 70% of the people in the mastermind were!
I didn’t get this at first. I’ve since totally shifted my perception, which I talk about more in the episode (listen to it in full here). Although the big lesson I’ve learned isn’t about network marketing, but rather how successful people are open to new opportunities.
They’re not closed-minded.
They don’t dismiss anything.
They don’t choose to do everything, of course. But they’re open to new ideas.
- If it will make them more money…
- Save them more time…
- Diversify their portfolio or add a new income stream…
They’re open-minded. They come from a place of abundance.
Whereas someone with closed-mind works in fear, doubt, skepticism and scarcity.
I want to be more open-minded to opportunities and possibilities.
I thought I was, but being part of this mastermind helped to see I have work to do.
7 Powerful Lessons From My Mastermind Group
I’ve already signed up for another year in this mastermind. I didn’t feel nearly as intimated about the money involved this time around. It’s still a large investment, but I know this mastermind will continue to push me outside my comfort zone.
Over the last twelve months, I’ve realized just how powerful and impactful this is.
Although life inside your comfort zone may be safe and easy, you aren’t here to live a safe and easy life. You’re here to lead your best life! You can only do that if you push yourself beyond your current limits.
Surrounding yourself with the right kind of people plays a huge role in this.
If you want to see just how powerful this is, I invite you to join a Free 7 Day Challenge I’m running. Over these seven days, I’ll send you journal prompts, questions and other exercises that will help you push you outside your comfort zone and empower you to step up.
There are two ways you can get involved
- via the 12 Weeks to Transformation Wait List
- join the free Primal Potential Facebook Group
I hope you’ll join us 🙂
Thanks for reading today. Please listen to the podcast that accompanies this article in full. I go deeper into all seven of these powerful lessons, as well as share several stories and examples from my time in the mastermind.
I also talk about a huge lesson I’ve learned about money…
And how it applies to EVERYONE (no matter the amount involved).
And remember to join me on the Free 7 Day Challenge that’s coming up.
There are two ways to get involved.
- via the 12 Weeks to Transformation Wait List
- join the free Primal Potential Facebook Group
Thanks again for listening and reading. If you have any questions about this mastermind or the experiences I’ve had, add them in the comments below. And to subscribe to the podcast and connect with me on social media, follow the links below.
GET INVOLVED:
Nov 11, 2019 | Podcast
One of the most critical skills for growth and success is getting motivated, staying motivated and building motivation. It’s often too easy to say you want something, but to then follow through and do what you need to… day-in and day-out, that’s hard. To achieve this you need to be motivated.
Yet getting motivated is only the start. Staying motivated is a continuous process and I see many people look for motivation in the wrong places. In today’s episode, I talk about where you shouldn’t seek motivation and where you should go instead to find it.
I’ve written an article about getting motivated that accompanies this episode below. Whether you choose to read, listen or both, make today the day you not only get motivated but stay motivated indefinitely,
IN TODAY’S SHOW YOU WILL LEARN:
- The significant role today (11/11) plays in my life, and how it’s closely linked to the importance of getting motivated and staying motivated.
- How getting motivated is only the first step, and that what happens next is what determines your success and growth.
- The role pleasure and pain play in motivation, and how a small tweak to your perspective can change how you approach everything in life.
- How our negative association with discipline is more impactful than you may imagine.
- That the stories we tell ourselves can set us up to succeed or place us down a path of failure (before we even begin).
- The number one reason why people get stuck (both in getting motivated and staying motivated)…
- AND the simple question you can ask yourself that will bring you back into perfect alignment with your goals.
- A few of my favorite quotes about motivation, and how you can use these to get, build and stay motivated indefinitely.
TODAY’S RESOURCES:
It doesn’t matter what you want to achieve in life, you always NEED this one thing if you want to succeed…
MOTIVATION!
Everything you do requires motivation. If you want to succeed with your job or business, you need to be motivated. If you would like to lose weight or get healthy, you need to be motivated. If you want to start a new habit, you NEED to be motivated.
Without motivation, everything is a struggle.
Yet once you’re truly motivated… most things feel kind of easy.
The problem is, this is one of the biggest struggles most people have. You know what it feels like to be motivated, and you know that you need to be. But how do you get motivated, and more importantly… how do you stay motivated?
This has to be the number one thing clients and listeners ask me.
- The struggle of getting motivated.
- The struggle of staying motivated.
- or often, a mix of the two…
Oftentimes it may feel just out of reach. If only you could get motivated everything would come together…
Well, it’s easier than you may imagine.
It’s just that most people look in the wrong place for it…
The Role of Pleasure and Pain in Getting Motivated
As humans, we’re hard-wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
If you want to get motivated (and stay that way), you need to find pleasure in what you’re doing. It also helps to associate pain in not doing it. Which is fine if you’re doing something you love.
But this is the problem, right?
Sometimes you feel like you have to do things that you don’t want to do.
This used to frustrate me. I would hear this take on pleasure and pain and say something along the lines of, “But I find pleasure in eating cupcakes. And I find working out hard and painful.”
So if pain and pleasure impact your motivation, I was destinated to say unhealthy because I was motivated to eat cupcakes and not workout. Right?
Well, no! The pleasure and pain have nothing to do with the “thing”, but rather the story we tell ourselves about it. For a long time, I associated going to the gym as being hard. I would be disciplined and make myself go, but I hated it. So I always associated discipline with pain.
I told myself a story that to be disciplined was hard and painful. I wanted to avoid the pain, and so I’d seek pleasure elsewhere (inside a cupcake, for instance).
But all these are, are stories.
Stories that WE tell ourselves.
This is good news because it means you can create a new story whenever you like.
Discipline = Freedom!
The stories we tell ourselves run the show. If you associate discipline with pain, you’ll resit it. Yet if you change your perspective so you suddenly associate discipline with freedom, you won’t.
- Eating a cupcake was pleasurable in the moment, but caused great pain the rest of the time.
- Whereas working out was painful in the moment, but brought me great pleasure afterward.
I began to tell myself a new story… if I take care of mind and body I’ll experience great freedom (pleasure). Whereas if I eat cupcakes today, I’ll remain in this body that I hate (pain).
Same situation.
New narrative!
You always get to choose your perspective. Yet this is why so many people struggle with getting motivated in the first place because they look outside of themselves. They assume they’ll get motivated by reading a book, listening to a podcast or watching an inspirational video.
These things can help, sure.
But they are never the source.
True motivation is something YOU create.
It happens inside you; in the stories you tell.
Yet how often do you focus on the past and what went wrong last time? Or maybe you focus on the short term pain and forget about the pleasure you’ll get aftward…
None of this is motivating, so you turn to a podcast or read a book, and you feel motivated for a while.
But it doesn’t last because inside you’re telling yourself the same stories.
Are You Clear on What You Want?
It’s a vicious cycle. Inside you’re telling yourself stories that set you up for failure, so you look for motivation outside yourself, via books, podcasts and videos. You feel motivated for a little while, make a little progress but then go back to old habits.
This further fuels those internal stories, and you keep focussing on the past and how you always fail.
You repeat the same pattern. Nothing seems to change!
Getting motivated is hard. But staying motivated feels impossible.
And it stays this way until you get CLEAR on what you want.
I see this often with people inside the 12 Weeks to Transformation.
I ask them what they want. They tell me. That part is easy.
But when I ask them to make a case for it and tell me why they want it, they struggle.
Take me and my past struggle with weight loss…
I knew what I wanted. I wanted to lose weight. I wanted to be healthier. I wanted to feel good in my own body. But why did I want this? If I did make the changes I desired, what impact would it have on me, my family and my life overall?
Wow. This forced me to think differently. To ask myself what I really wanted, and more importantly… WHY I wanted it. I got clear on what life would look like if I lost weight and got healthy.
I could picture it. I wanted it. I needed it.
I found the motivation inside me. It was there all along, waiting for me.
Motivation like this is much more powerful than any you’ll find in a book.
Two Questions You Need To Ask Yourself Right Now!
I talk about these two questions in the latest episode of the Primal Potential podcast, so to get the full insight into these I encourage you to listen to it in full.
These two questions force you to question your current outlook. They help you figure out why you want what you want, so you don’t have to look for motivation elsewhere.
The first is:
What would it look like if you were highly motivated today?
If you were highly motivated right now, what would you do? Would you eat that cupcake? Would you scroll through Facebook? Would you watch TV instead of going to the gym?
If you were highly motivated today, how would you spend your day? Would you be on your phone or focus solely on your work. Picture yourself as this person. Think about who she is and what she’s doing.
After you have, ask yourself this next question:
Why do I want this? WHY is it important?
Why would you put down the cupcake? Why would you go to the gym instead of watching TV?
What’s the purpose? What’s the positive outcome that you’ll get to experience afterward?
Why are you doing it? Why does it matter to you so much? Make a case for it!
Asking yourself these two questions is powerful. They not only help you get clear on what you want, but they help you appreciate why you want it. This is how you change that narrative and turn your outlook from negative to positive.
Do you tell the story of why you don’t want to or make a case for why you do?
This is one of the main reasons I journal each day. I think about these questions. Each day, I want to make sure that I’m clear on what I’m doing and why. It helps me stay motivated and focussed.
It doesn’t just happen.
People aren’t born highly motivated.
It’s a conscious act. One you have to repeat.
I share some more stories within the latest episode, so please listen to it in full to get a full insight into getting motivated, staying motivated and the impact all this has had on my life.
I also share some of my favorite quotes from Brendon Burchard that have helped me over the years.
And if you want help with this and join a group of women ready to get and stay motivated, I encourage you to join the Free 7 Day Challenge I’m running. Over these seven days, I’ll send you journal prompts, questions and other exercises that will help you in getting motivated and staying that way.
There are two ways you can get involved
- Via the 12 Weeks to Transformation Wait List
- Join the free Primal Potential Facebook Group
Getting motivated doesn’t have to be hard, and it becomes easier when you don’t go it on your own.
Thanks for reading today. Please listen to the podcast that accompanies this article in full, as I share several stories from my own life, as well as those from listeners and members of the 12 Weeks to Transformation. Getting motivated is so important, and once you start looking in the right place… it gets much easier.
Thanks for reading today. Please listen to the podcast that accompanies this article in full, as I share several stories from my own life, as well as those from listeners and members of the 12 Weeks to Transformation. Getting motivated is so important, and once you start looking in the right place… it gets much easier.
I also share some of my favorite quotes in the episode, so that’s another reason to listen as some of these could be perfect affirmations for you 🙂
And remember to join me on the Free 7 Day Challenge that’s coming up.
There are two ways to get involved.
- via the 12 Weeks to Transformation Wait List
- join the free Primal Potential Facebook Group
Thanks again for listening and reading. If you have any questions about this, please add them in the comments below. And to subscribe to the podcast and connect with me on social media, follow the links below.
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Nov 9, 2019 | Podcast
Have you ever felt mentally exhausted? One of our listeners wrote in for today’s listener Q&A episode wondering how to find energy on those mentally exhausted days. We’re also diving into questions including:
- Where did I lose my self worth?!
- How do I sort out my life?
- I have experimented with fasting and IF for quite some time and find abstinence easier than moderation. I find a lifestyle of only eating once a day quite sustainable but am not losing fat. I was wondering, does the golden rules of carbs mean that, if I break my fast at dinner that I should treat it as a fat loss breakfast i.e. little to no carbs after the long fast?
- How do I deal with the “blah” days when that’s all I seem to be having lately?
- How to get motivated after repeated failure?
If you want to learn more about the free 7 day challenge we have going on, drop your name and email address in here.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Fabletics! If you want to take advantage of their epic deal allowing you to get 2 pairs of leggings for $24, shop through this link!
Nov 7, 2019 | Podcast
You need to take responsibility for your choices, your attitude, your goals and your progress. It’s long past time you stop blaming your circumstances! It’s time to take full responsibility, no matter what your situation.
In today’s episode, I passionately call for you to take full responsibility. It’s always easier to blame someone else or on the fact you don’t have enough time, money or energy. There’s always an excuse, and they’re often valid and easy to rationalize. It does not matter! You need to take full responsibility if you wish to lead the life you desire. In today’s episode, I share how you can do this — starting today.
I’ve written an article that accompanies this, where I dive deeper into the importance of taking full responsibility for your life and goals. Whether you choose to read, listen or both, make today the day you draw a line in the sand and make huge progress.
IN TODAY’S SHOW YOU WILL LEARN:
- How important it is for you to take full responsibility of your goals, your time and your life.
- That there will always be a valid excuse for what you can’t do, but how it does not matter because it remains within your control (and it remains YOUR choice).
- How I was inspired to record today’s episode after a conversation with Sarah, and how we both spotted a common pattern among members of the 12 Weeks to Transformation.
- That you can still make GREAT choices no matter what your situation is (and no matter how little time, money or energy you have).
- What the first step to taking full responsibility looks like (and how you can do this right now — starting today!)
- What life looks on the other side of all this, and the incredible impact it has on your health, mindset and relationships.
- How taking full responsibility has no boundaries (you choose to do this with your work, family life, health and everything else that is part of YOUR life)
TODAY’S RESOURCES:
I looked at Sarah and said, “isn’t it amazing how few people take full responsibility for their lives and are so quick to blame others?”
Sarah helps me manage the 12 Weeks to Transformation, ensuring everything runs smoothly and that each member gets the accountability and action they deserve. She updated me on various members, as she does each week.
Nobody blatantly blamed someone else, but a common pattern I spotted was that everyone had a reason for why they couldn’t watch a video, complete an action, make progress this week, and so on…
It dawned on me: hardly anyone takes full responsibility for their life.
I didn’t use to. For a long time, I would blame someone else or my situation.
I always had a reason why I couldn’t achieve what I wanted to:
- Not enough time.
- Not enough money at the moment.
- My job is too exhausting.
- My partner doesn’t support me.
- Hormones…
I was able to validate all these excuses, too. The truth was, I didn’t have enough time or money. My job did exhaust me. My personal life would sometimes get in the way of my personal growth and diet.
I had a valid reason to blame my situation.
Most people do. Life is often crazy, so there’s always an excuse.
But so what?
Does it really matter?
Whatever your situation, your life remains YOUR life.
It’s Time to Take Full Responsibility No Matter What!
It’s always easier to blame someone or something else. It’s comfortable. So long as you have a reason why you can’t, you feel justified staying within your comfort zone.
It’s safe.
It’s comfortable.
But you’re not here to live a comfortable life. You’re here to live a FULL, meaningful one. You only get one, after all. Do you really want to arrive on your deathbed with regrets? Looking back at all the things you would have liked to do, but didn’t because you couldn’t find the time, money or energy?
The bottom line is, you will always have a valid excuse as to why you can’t. It’s doesn’t matter. You cannot let this prevent you from taking full responsibility for your life, your actions and your choices.
Taking full responsibility is a choice. It’s one you have always had and always will.
And it’s one you have right now (no matter what your current situation is).
Nobody Else Can Build The Life You Want But You!
I recorded the episode that inspired this article on a whim. I intended to record a science-based episode, but couldn’t get this idea of taking full responsibility out of my head.
I see it holding so many people back.
Not just those inside the 12 Weeks to Transformation…
- But listeners who send me emails…
- Friends and family members I speak to…
- People I see online, sharing messages on social media…
They validate why they can’t.
Instead of finding a reason why they can.
Life isn’t easy. There will always be “something” that stands in your way. There is never the perfect time, perfect situation or a period where the stars align. If that’s what you’re waiting for, you’ll wait forever.
… until one day you lay on that deathbed and have nothing but your past to look back on.
This is your life. It’s yours to take full responsibility for and do what you want to do and what you need to. Nobody else will give you the life you desire. They’re all busy living their own lives.
All you can do is focus on yours. Once you do, you won’t only serve YOU but those around you, too.
An aspect of the stoic philosophy I love surrounds the notion that how you lead yourself is more important than how you lead others.
- If you want to be the best parent you can be, focus on YOU!
- If you want to be the best leader at work, focus on YOU!
- If you want to be the best partner you can, focus on YOU!
Take full responsibility of your life. Be there for others, but don’t sacrifice what you need for their cause. It leads to resentment and frustration and does nothing but fuel those excuses as to why you can’t.
You can, but you never will until you take full responsibility.
How To Take Full Responsibility (no matter what your situation is)
I talk about this in greater detail in the episode that accompanies this article. I encourage you to listen to it in full, because not only do I share some tactical advice that will help you take action TODAY… but I also share a few stories, examples and anecdotes.
Listen to the latest episode of the Primal Potential podcast here ⇒
I’ll keep things simple with this article. If you want to take full responsibility of your life:
- Be conscious of when you’re not taking full responsibility
- Practice the aft of taking FULL RESPONSIBILITY!
That’s it. Simple, I know.
But this doesn’t have to be hard.
I talk about this more in the episode, but it comes down to YOU being aware when you’re blaming someone else or the situation you’re in. If you find yourself coming up with reasons why you can’t, you are choosing NOT to take full responsibility.
It’s a sign to stop and step back, and think about what taking full responsibility looks like.
It’s a practice.
It’s a repetition.
The more you do this, the easier it gets. Bit-by-bit you regain control of your goals, feelings, emotions, and life overall. You take control of those inner conversations and the ones you have with others.
You feel calmer and at peace.
You find it easier to let go.
You realize it is a choice, which gives you all you need to build the life you deserve.
You only get one. The sooner you take full responsibility for it the sooner you get to live it fully and freely.
Thanks for reading this today. Please listen to the podcast that accompanies this article in full, as I passionately talk about why taking full responsibility for your life is so important.
I didn’t intend to record this but felt compelled to.
Not taking full responsibility held me back for so long.
I see it negatively affect other people each day, and I want it to stop.
It is a choice, and it’s one you can make (right now).
In the episode, I talk in greater depth about how you can, as well as give you a few practical tips on what I did and still do (click here to listen to the episode in full)
Thanks again for listening and reading. If you have any questions about this, please add them in the comments below. And to subscribe to the podcast and connect with me on social media, follow the links below.
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