[You can view my original article at EzineArticles.com ]

Going under the assumption that we all have room for improvement… how would you describe a better, happier version of yourself? Or better yet try to visualize what a ‘better you’ would look and sound like.

Would you speak a little softer and be a little more kind? Would you speak a little louder and be a little more assertive?

Would you make more money? Would you give away more money to a charity or church?

Would you stress less and spend more time with family?

Perhaps you see yourself as thinner or stronger or having more energy. Or maybe it’s a new more active you that no longer suffers with back pain.

Chances are you have envisioned yourself looking, living, feeling or even behaving differently.  

There’s also a good chance you have thought about how you might transform yourself into what you see as that better version of yourself, or even made attempts to make a change.

Were you successful in your plight or did you fall short?

The Real First Step to Success

A few weeks ago I found myself knee deep in a ‘spirited debate’ with my brother-in-law. He’s a fairly hardheaded and opinionated fella who doesn’t care for being told he’s wrong.

And while I will usually just agree with him on most of his points whether I concur or not, on this evening I had to stand my ground.

He was convincingly making the time-tested argument that everything we do begins with a thought and our thoughts become our words and words our actions.

The problem for me didn’t arise so much in that I didn’t agree with what he was saying but rather what he was applying it to.

You see Javier was applying it to improving your own life or at least aspects of your life like your health, financial situation, etc.

My argument was that just having thoughts about (thinking about) and deciding to improve your health, for example, will not in and of itself lead to you making the required healthy changes. The reason for this is that ‘your thoughts’ are not supported or anchored by something bigger and so can easily slip away resulting in no words and no actions.

In other words, for your determination to make a change stick, it must be anchored by a bigger reason – a foundation if you will.

This foundation that your thoughts are based on is called your WHY.

By first figuring out ‘why’ you want to make changes in your life, you will also create the strong foundation on which your thoughts about how to accomplish your ‘why’ will sit.

Why do you want to stop smoking?

Why do you want to lose 50 pounds?

Why do you want to more assertive?

Why do you want to be a kinder person?

Why do you want to start exercising?

Why do you want to give away part of your income?

By first determining and clearly defining why you are going to make this change in your life, no longer will your thought just be ‘I’m going to eat better this year,’ but rather is will look more like this:

‘I’m going to eat better food and stop drinking soda this year so I can set an example of how to be healthy for my kids and give them the best possible advantage in life.’

Or…

‘I’m going to give away 5% of my income to XYZ children’s charity so I can give even just one child half the nourishment and security that my child experiences every day.’

Think about YOUR why. Write it down and carry it with you so your ‘why’ is always in your pocket or purse. Read it 5 times a day for one month. Watch yourself change.