My daughter, Maggie, said something yesterday that was so simple it was profound.
Here is how it went:
Me: “Maggie, do you think I should have chocolate milk with my breakfast too?”
Maggie: “Dad, you are a grown up, you can do whatever you want!”
My natural reaction to this simple line of reasoning was to start coming up with the “Yeah, but” reasons in my head. Reasons that I can do whatever I want, but….
Yeah, but what about all the sugar.
Yeah, but I still have to go to work every day.
Yeah, but I still have to change poopy diapers.
Yeah, but I still have to do laundry.
Yeah, but I can’t buy that new super awesome life-altering-thingy that I want.
Then it hit me. I CAN do whatever I want. I make the choice about what I do at any given moment of any given day. I do. No one else.
I have to take responsibility for all the little decisions I make throughout the day.
At first, this is a little frustrating. Realizing that you have to change in order for the results of your life to change is a little sobering at times. I usually come to the realization that it is about making the choice about what do I want more.
Do I want a cookie or do I want to be physically fit?
Do I want to kill an hour relaxing on the couch or do I want to read and study a new skill or concept?
Do I want to spend time with my kids or spend time worrying about whether or not I am caught up on email?
I am working hard on changing my mind about the motivation part of this equation. I am trying not to think of those new habits or goals as “have to’s” but more as “want to’s”.
What pops into your mind when you hear “You are a grown up, you can do whatever you want!”?
Think about it for a minute….and make sure you are doing whatever you want.
Jake
