Reality Check 101

When things aren't going your way do you give up? When things get hard do you give up? I know I have been guilty of that "giving up syndrome".

Smoking is a habit that many try to quit without success and why is that? Because quitting is just as much a habit as smoking is and you can truly never have success until you break the habit of giving up first.

In life we are faced with many different obstacles and the choices that we make determine the outcome. If every time you are faced with a challenge you give up you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of failures. Quitting is a learned behavior and comes with all kinds of consequences that can be carried on from generation to generation.

Aristotle said that we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Habits can be changed, as hard as that may seem, you can do anything that you CHOSE to do. Here is a 30 day challenge to help you break this "habit" of giving up.

We all have things we want to do, stop smoking, get out of debt, or lose weight. The first step to achieving our goals is to pick one. Start out with small obtainable goals which in the end will result in achieving the big one. Trying to change all of your so called bad habits at one time is setting yourself up for failure due to being overwhelmed.

Make a plan and write it down: This is a must, just saying it is not enough of a commitment. Write it on paper, post it on your fridge, on your bathroom mirror, everywhere for a constant reminder of what your objective is. " For the next 30 days I will jog in place for two minutes "... " For the next 30 days I will not buy that Starbucks coffee."

Motivation: Knowing why are you doing this and making that commitment. You have to believe in what you are doing and that you are doing it for the right reasons. Have a clear mental picture of the outcome you want. " I want to lose 30 pounds so I can be around to see my grandchildren "..." I want to pay off my credit card debt."

Support System: Whether it's your family, friends, co-workers, or an online forum, you can't do it alone. When you are having a difficult time or struggling you need to have that support network in place so you can ask for help and confide in.

Here is a biggie...Stay Positive: Yes, you will have negative thoughts in your head but realizing that you are having them is what's important. Having the ability to push them out and replace them with positive ones. " I can't do this " with " Yes, I can "..." This is to hard " with " If Joe can do this so CAN I."

Strategy to Defend: Negative people will try to tell you to QUIT, to just give up. Be prepared for these obstacles, confront them and be direct. If they can't support you then you don't need them around you.

Accountability: Be accountable for your actions by publicly posting your progress, sending a daily e-mail to a supporter for confirmation. This will create positive feedback so that you can celebrate your success!

When that 30 day cycle ends go onto the next one, remember start out small to achieve big in the end. Don't let guilt or previous failures get in your way, use them as learning tools to move those obstacles out of your way.

Here is to breaking bad habits and learning a lifetime of success!