Two things keep people from being successful: laziness and the lack of leverage. The good news is that neither of these are incurable diseases, but they can be if left untreated. Let’s take a look at both and how to get rid of each one.

Leverage creates the tipping point that gets you moving and taking action. Leverage can come from wants, needs, fear, love, hate and other emotional triggers. All leverage points are good if you channel them correctly, even if they start out as a negative emotion, such as anger — at least you are moving and will notice that the longer you keep moving, the more likely you are to replace your negative leverage with something more positive.

Discover and get familiar with the “why.” When the “why” gets clear, the “how” gets easy. Also, remember it is okay to start with extremely small steps. Take small steps that are guaranteed to give yourself positive reinforcement. I call these points RPE’s – Recent Positive Experience. RPE leads to more thorough risk-reward behavior patterns. Most people do the opposite. Most people want the goal or success and focus solely on the goal without recognizing the steps.

Each new year I witness newcomers to the gym. They usually have found a leverage point of pain — the pain of being too fat or too unhealthy. What they see in the mirror causes pain. The pain becomes unbearable and they want to remove the pain. I think it is an incredible point in their life and I am amazed at their desire. Sadly, often the burning fire of desire quickly evaporates. After a week, they don’t see the results of the hard work, and they give up. We have become an instant gratification society. We want our results and we want them now. Bailouts, drive-thru’s and video on demand are all based upon instant gratification and speed.

Quickly, despair sets in and people stop taking action; it adds to their failure board as further proof that they cannot win. The sad truth is that they were just days away from beginning to see the results they wanted. They quit too soon. Most people do.

Here is the lesson: At first, focus on the action as the result. The reward is in the action. With continued and corrected action, results are guaranteed. If you knew you could play a sport and win, would you do it? Of course you would. Your life and your goals are the exact same thing. You are absolutely guaranteed success before you even start. It is undeniable and cannot be refuted. It is a given.

Start off knowing you cannot lose — unless you quit. Focus on how successful each action is by itself and how each day there are more actions strung together that provides proof of success. Write down what you want and then keep a journal of your actions and success. Read that journal and create a blueprint in your brain that reinforces you, your journey and success. After all, the true reward is the journey to the goal and not the goal itself. Give your subconscious testimonial proof of success for each action. If you are too tired or lack desire to do what you need to do, just look at the journal and take one step. Just one step and then another. Eventually you have given yourself proof that, even on your bad days, you are an unstoppable force.

Divide your big goal into small goals and take one section at a time. Anything is possible this way, and most things seem impossible any other way. Get yourself a reinforcement coach. We all know someone who is a positive influence who knows how to get you going. If you don’t, start looking and asking. Everyone needs a coach.

If you are looking for inspiration, think of something or someone greater than yourself. It is usually harder for us to let someone else down than ourselves. Make a commitment to someone else. Make a commitment to something good that rewards someone else when you reach your goal. Most importantly, make a commitment. What do you have to gain and what do you have to lose? What is most likely? The answer is usually in between. Don’t let your subconscious grow your fear to be so large that it keeps you from taking action. Fear is paying interest on a debt not yet due.

If you are lazy, it’s not a terminal condition. First of all, laziness is a label given as permanent and is nothing more than a state of mind perpetuated into reality. Change your mind to change your reality. Ask yourself, what will I be like in five years, 10 years, 20 years if I keep this laziness up? What will I be as an example? If I were being interviewed at 100 years old about my life, what would I say? Would I be proud?

Here are some tips:

• Start your morning differently • Write, write, and write what you want

• Take one step at a time • Get a coach

• Find the why • Create a new label

• Focus on the good • Give yourself proof of winning

• Ask yourself each day, how did I do?

• Bombard your brain with positive influence – read, listen and watch good stuff

• Give yourself permission to have setbacks. It’s part of the process.

Remember: You are perfect for where you are supposed to be right now, because without you being who you are right now and where you are right now, there is no way you could be who you will be and where you will be in the future. Celebrate the perfection in your imperfection.

To find out how to increase your business bottom line by $250,000 or more, e-mail me at info@tewart.com with the phrase “Business Makeover” in the subject line.