When was the last time you decided to make a change?
I wanted to do a dry month challenge where I didn’t have any alcohol for 30 days.
Pretty simple decision and I felt really good about it at the time. I was certain I could make this change. I thought of all the benefits from going dry for a month?
I would sleep better, lose weight, my clothes would fit better, I’d have more energy, and I’d save a bit of money. All great reasons to do this.
Then I looked at my calendar…
I had a trip to Vegas of all places in two weeks! My wife and I had dinner reservations at a fantastic chophouse with a killer wine menu and of course there were some football games to watch with friends.
This decision to quit drinking for a month was really coming at an inconvenient time. So I looked ahead in my calendar for a time that was more convenient.
And do you know what I found out?
There was no convenient time, there was always a reason NOT to start.
And then I noticed that this comes up a lot. It could be a diet, looking for a new job, or having that conversation with your wife about the house budget.
There is a perfectly good reason for this, we really don't want to change. Change is hard and even more so, it's inconvenient. If I implement a change then I have to give something else up. We start thinking of all the things that we will be deprived of.
No one likes to delay gratification. It sucks. Why put off to tomorrow what I can have today?
The effects of the change are in the future and we won't see those for a while.
But the wine and steaks are now, and it will taste so good.
I can save for a family trip in spring or I can buy that new Xbox now.
I could leave my job and start my own business, but now is just not the right time.
There is always a good reason NOT to start. What's yours?