What's the point of setting goals if we are not willing to do what it takes to achieve them? I struggle with this at times. As you’ve heard me say in the past, “Set Big Goals” because if you shoot for the stars and miss, you'll likely still land on the moon. 

So why is it when I set big goals and come up just short, why is it I still have mixed emotions?

Have you ever had a year at work so huge that it shattered all other years prior but still felt like you left a bit on the table? Maybe you put together the best golfing round of your life but still find yourself saying, I left a few out there today. 

I would love to hear your thoughts as to why we do this, please consider emailing me directly at TeamGatesRE@gmail.com.

For today, we will compare habits vs will power and see if we can leave you with a few actionable takeaways.

Let me start by painting you a picture of my two biggest weekly goals. First is simply taking 10,000 steps a day and second is this blog. I strive to put out one article a week alongside a monthly business/real estate wrap up for the members of our TeamGatesRE subscribers. 

To achieve these goals, I know I need to walk for an average of one hour each morning to set the pace for the day and write for up to a minimum of one hour, three days each week.

Yet today, Sunday October 19th at 4:48 PM as I write this article (late of course) I find myself at only 4,650 steps.

Will Power 

I have found this and this alone to be enough for some people. If you are currently among the lucky few, you likely have something in your life that pulls you to it. Something bigger than you that fuels you through highs and lows to keep on pushing and do what needs to be done.

If you have a big enough WHY in your life, you will do whatever it takes. If you are struggling to follow through on your goals or stick the course when things get rough, you likely don’t have something big enough or meaningful enough pulling you along.

Consider reading Simon Sinek’s book, Start With Why: How Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action or watching his Ted Talk on YouTube. Let's talk a little about the main focus of Simon’s -

Most great leaders and individuals leading from Why will always find their way. If you know your Why, How is the process of getting there and What is simply a byproduct of the two. 

Most misguided leaders and lost individuals, get this backwards starting with What, then How and finally Why becomes the afterthought.

Let’s look at a real life example: me struggling to write this blog.

I started with What: I want to write a Real Estate Blog

How: I told myself I would write for a minimum of four hours a week to achieve this objective.

Why: Share my Real Estate knowledge and polish my writing skills.

Looking at things this way doesn't seem crazy, most of us likely do. The issue I am running into is that when times get tough or life gets overwhelming, the first thing to get set aside is my writing time. The issue with my philosophy was if I missed a blog, the only person I was letting down was myself which many of us have become accustomed to over the years.

If my priorities were better aligned with a strong Why, there is a chance I do more to get things done. Lets rewrite our goal using the Why -> How -> What method.

Why: Share Real Estate Knowledge With New Investors So They Too Can Escape the 9-5

How: I am going to write for a minimum of four hours a week.

What: Weekly Blog, AI Podcast and Social Media Post

I don't know about you but I can already feel the difference in my energy as I rewire my brain to think, Why -> How -> What.

Without a powerful Why and the will power to back it up, I would argue the majority of people (including myself) would benefit not from Why -> How -> What but from practical habits that over time lead to the desired results.

How do we break habits or create habits when Will Power alone is not enough. Charles Duhigg breaks down the The Golden Rule of Habit Change in his book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. The Golden Rule to break or create new habits follows three ideas. 

To get the best results on your journey to ______________, define the strongest WHY possible and then experiment with the Golden Rule of Habit Change until you find your groove.

Remember, life is a game. You will win some, you will lose some so enjoy the journey!