What things do you truly like?
I’m not talking about things that you have convinced yourself to like, but things that inherently bring you pleasure.
Examples…
Most people like to play and dislike to work.
Most people like fatty, salty, sugary foods and dislike whole natural foods.
Most people loathe discipline and like “freedom” to do whatever they want (generally the opposite of the things they need to do to achieve a goal).
Most people fervently dislike exercise and love watching Netflix.
Most people are addicted to scrolling through social media feeds and dislike even the thought of turning off their phone and getting to business.
Most people enjoy going out to eat for $100+ a pop multiple times per week and dislike saving $100+ per month.
Here’s the kicker…
MOST people are unfulfilled, unhappy, overweight, under-achievers, and broke.
Causation resulting in correlation? I think so.
The thing that MOST people don’t understand is that the people who work hard, exercise, eat right, and have discipline ALSO do not always like the things they need to do to achieve the result they’re after.
The difference is they do the things that need doing regardless of whether they like it or not.
It is a fact that you need to eat healthily and move your body frequently to be healthy whether you like it or not.
It is a fact that you need to save money and spend less than you earn if you want to build your wealth.
These are facts whether you like them or not.
The good news is that as you gain traction you also increase the enjoyment of doing the “hard” things.
You may not “like” them, but you will start to get a strange enjoyment from them like grinding your teeth when you have braces.
It hurts, but it also feels strangely good.
Somewhat similar to alcohol.
I would argue that NOBODY enjoys the taste of alcohol the first time they drink it and yet they continue to consume it.
The more they consume the more they like it.
Same thing here except instead of alcohol consumption leading to social lubricant and mental stupor we’re focusing on things that will improve your life.
The more you do the things that are required to be done to achieve a desired result the more you’ll enjoy them in a twisted sort of self-sadistic love-hate type of way.
The key is committing to doing them no matter what.
Once you commit to doing them no matter what your feelings and likes become irrelevant and unnecessary.
Brett “Do the Things That Need Doing” Denton