Why Most People Never Decide To Go For Greatness

Why most people never decide to go for greatness

Saying you’ll start that certification someday isn’t the same as deciding to get the certification.

Without a decision, talk cheapens you. It provides entirely too much room for letting yourself off the hook. It’s easy to say you’re going to read a book a month, write for an hour every day, take on a new project, or finish your degree.

Decision puts you on the hook, and leaves you vulnerable. You could fail.

Actually, that’s not true. You cannot fail. Failure doesn’t really exist, except in your mind. You learn what doesn’t work, and you wind up with new information to help you in your next step forward. Seriously.

Technically, I failed in my attempt to swim those five miles around Gibson Island back in September of 2015. At roughly the 3 mile mark, they pulled a handful of us out, motored us ahead by about ¾ of a mile, and then plopped us back in to finish the swim.

With my decision on the line, I did everything I could to complete that swim. Three hours, five-foot swells, and a motor boat is what was needed, but I did finish. Some say we swam closer to six or seven miles. I say, I showed up, got in that water, and gave every bit of what I had until I crossed the finish line.

Success isn’t always what we think it should look like. Sometimes in our pursuits, we get a great deal more than we bargained for. The key is to decide. Make the decision to finish, especially if the result matters to you.

When you fail at something that’s meaningless, no problem. Fail at something you care about? No thank you!

Let’s be clear—I’m not talking about the decision to go to the grocery store. That’s comfortable, easy, and even necessary.

What I am talking about is your decision to—start the business, take ownership of that project/result, learn that new skill, finish your degree, sing for the public, join that exercise class, go to Italy, double your income, etc. Dream, decide, action, and than get through the first thirty minutes.

When you care deeply about the result you’re aiming to achieve, and there’s a potential for failure, it feels vulnerable. When you feel that, you know you’ve stumbled upon a goal worthy of your decision, action, and staying power.

Yesterday, I decided to double my income this year, and then I promptly started an argument with my partner. This decision feels ridiculously vulnerable to me. I don’t even like talking about money. I would rather have a root canal than talk about, or set goals around, money.

That said, it’s time to get uncomfortable. So, there, I’ve decided to double my income this year. And—I have no idea how I’m going to do it.

After you send me a fist full of cash—just for the fun of it—please go make a decision to create the success that’s meaningful to you, even if it scares you.

Let fear be your guide to knowing how much you really care.

Here’s to Your Greatness,

Misti Burmeister

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