I Want + I Can + I Will = SUCCESS!

One of my favorite quotes, from one of my favorite people, is:

I Want + I Can + I Will = SUCCESS!

It's my Dad's quote.  He thought of it around 20 years ago.  I didn't think too much of it when he first mentioned it to me (hell, I was a teenager...I wasn't concerned with too much else but making sure my JNCO jeans had the necessary knee tears and whether my chain wallet was long enough).  I don't know if it just came to him or if he sat down and contemplated it for hours.  However, the older I get, the more I understand it's value.  It is the KEY to achieving our goals...the fundamental state of mind that will set you up for success in whatever you choose to do.  Let's break it down.

I WANT
You have to want it.  Well, even before that, you have to know what you want.  And you have to be specific, otherwise your vision is to abstract to turn into a reality.  For example, saying, "I want to be fit" could mean any number of things.  Maybe you want to change your eating habits; perhaps you want to start a workout regimen.  You have to be particular in describing what you want so you know what you're setting our to achieve and will know when you have achieved it.  "I want to be able to run 3 miles without stopping."  "I want to be able to do 20 pull-ups in a row."  "I want to eat clean and cut out artificial products from my diet."  For me, I want a set of killer abdominals...the kind that, if our washing machine ever broke down, would allow us to continue to have clean underwear for the foreseeable future.  Because I have that specific vision in mind, I can start to take steps toward making it a reality.

I CAN
Very simply, the acknowledgement that your goal is achievable.  You HAVE to believe that you can achieve your goal...otherwise, folks, it ain't happenin'.  We work harder at those things which we know will, in the end, benefit us or someone about whom we care.  If you don't believe you will benefit from a particular activity, you are more likely to attempt it half-speed...without passion...carelessly.  This leads to sub par results, if any at all.  And who embarks on a difficult journey only to get a mediocre outcome?  (hint: no one.)  The best results are accomplished when you believe, in your heart of hearts, that you CAN do what you're setting out to do.

I WILL
Determination.  Drive.  This is the finishing move in the success equation...your willingness to get up, go out, and DO what it takes to achieve your goal.  You already know what you want; you already believe you can do it...now you need the internal motivation to get it done.  Without the "I WILL," your dreams and desires stay dreams and desires, never to be realized.  Woody Allen's famous quote, "Eighty percent of life is showing up" speaks quite loudly to this point; many of us have fantastic goals and aspirations...and they never see the light of day because, so often, we don't take the necessary steps to get started.  Sometimes motivation comes from within and sometimes it is derived externally...where ever it comes from, you need a fire in your belly if you want to see progress!

So that's it.  You have to want it.  You have to know you can achieve it.  You have to go out and do it.  It's that simple.  Focus on those three things and you will find that you can overcome obstacles you never before thought possible.  Whether you're working on a fitness goal, chiseling away at a debt, or trying to repair a relationship, this equation will help you get from point A to point B.  Say it every morning.  Think it when you're in a rut.  Believe it, always, and nothing can stand in your way.

I Want + I Can + I Will = SUCCESS!

Thanks, Dad.