How quickly do you give up?

For me, it depends on the topic and goal but can vary from ONE HOUR to NEVER.

Changing habits and regimens can be tough. Why can we do it sometimes and why do we give up other times? Some people give up more than others, too. I think I tend to give up too quickly and easily on many promising pathways.

I have started thinking differently about those goals I give up on the same day I articulate them. Most have a few things in common:

• They are not shared - I articulate them to only myself.
• They are not supported by my daily habits and regimens - they require me to break my routine.
• They offer long term payouts - I can be impatient for results (understatement).
• I don't make any promises to others.
• Some are not great ideas - many belong on the cutting room floor.

I need to take things public and make commitments to keep my mind focused and in action. The bigger the promise the better, too.

What about you? Have you found that you are giving up on your goals too easily? You might try going out on a limb and 1) communicating the goal, then 2) making promises to others about the goal, and then 3) keeping your promises. This method works best if the promises you make are not to your best friend, spouse or mother because you can more easily backpedal on a promise made to a pal.

My 6 week motorcycle trip is a good example. I had some notion that I wanted to do this, but I would have given it a less than 50% chance of happening if I had not gone public and asked for help arranging local events. As the people became enrolled in partnering with me and as the events started confirming, it made the trip a reality. I gotta do it now! And this is great. Now there's no doubt about the trip happening and I am sure it will be a life changing experience. Had I not gone outward with the goal, I would never have played full out.

Some of you might be thinking that I should not NEED to go public and make promises to stay on track. Well, I think that for large goals, it helps. Our lives are so busy and complex and it is easy to let things go or get delayed. Rearranging life for 6 weeks is daunting and the planning for a trip like this is even more daunting. I have never taken a motorcycle trip even remotely this long. Without that structure and reinforcement, I would have been so much more tempted to say, "you know, it's probably too expensive," or "maybe I should wait until ____," or "is this really practical or am I insane?"

The vote is still out on that last one, but you get my point.

Set at least one BIG goal every year and immediately share it with others and make promises that pin you down to doing it. It's self-manipulation at its finest! What's your big goal?