“The great breakthrough in your life comes when you realize that you can learn anything you need to learn to accomplish any goal that you set for yourself. This means there are no limits on what you can be, have or do.”
-Brian Tracy
March is in the air – a little more daylight to start and end the day, temperatures giving us glimpses of springtime, and March Madness is on the horizon. MCFA is working with a partner on a potential breakthrough project, and my family hit a major bucket list item this past week!
So what do buck lists, bracketology and breakthroughs have in common?
They require a “how yes!?” instead of a “hell no!” view of the world.
You don’t accomplish big, hairy, audacious bucket list goals without the “how yes” mindset.
You don’t become a #12 seed in the Elite Eight or a #11 seed in the Final Four without the confidence of a “how yes” mindset.
And you don’t get world-changing breakthroughs without the optimism to challenge the status quo with a “how yes” mindset.
The world is full of doubters who have conditioned themselves to stay comfortable and say no. No is just easier sometimes. But change, growth and success aren’t easy.
Extraordinary isn’t easy.
I know, I know, “but BJ, you are naturally optimistic!” “Easy for you to say, BJ, you are the prince of positivity.” Or, “I’m too cautious. You are a natural risk-taker!”
I’ve heard it all. It’s anything but natural to be this way, I promise you. Sure, I’m a happy person. But optimism, risk-taking, positivity and even happiness don’t just come naturally. They take work and a lot of it. They take study, reading, coaching, positive self-talk, prayer AND ACTION! Action. They are incrementally becoming more and more comfortable with being uncomfortable and more and more confident with managing, minimizing and mitigating risks (read this story about Sir Richard Branson’s view on risk).
So, how do you start cultivating a “how yes?!” Approach to life and work? By practicing saying “how yes” instead of no and then…take action. When was the last time you thought of a bucket list dream, a “side hustle project,” or a “we could do this better” idea? Where did you go with it? Too many good ideas are left to die on the back of bar napkins, and too many bucket list dream conversations never see the light of day. Instead of letting it die on the vine, write down what it would take to accomplish and what is the next action to take. Then, schedule one hour a week, preferably with an accountable and like-minded partner, to chip away at the idea. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish!
BJ Kraemer, President