CHAOS VS ACHIEVEMENT

We all want lives of achievement, health, happiness and
some measure of wealth. We want the "good life!" And yet,
the vast majority end up leading relatively average,
middle-class lives. How can this be? How can so many of the
world's most educated people end up working paycheck to
paycheck?
I think the answers are pretty simple.
Most of us were never taught HOW to create and live a great
life! We don't study this in school. We admire people who
have done great things, but no one coaches us, no one shows
us the way. And so we stumble. We struggle. We are
ambitious, educated people and we do the best we can, but
without the basic formula, too often we get only average
results.
So, I want to share with you two of the most important
formulas I know. I teach these to my coaching clients and I
want to share them with you. My price? If you find them
helpful, I ask that you pass them on to at least two other
people. Forward this email, or print it out and mail it to
two friends. I hope you're willing to do that.
The first is what I call the formula for chaos. It goes
like this:
      Impulse  +  Opportunity  =  Chaos
Every day, we all have impulses to study or to spend, to
work or to watch television. Impulses are merely ideas that
pop into our brains and momentarily catch our attention.
The problem is that they are relatively random and too many
are based on casual appetites or fleeting temptations.
There's nothing bad or wrong with our impulses, but there
is nothing inherently good or trustworthy about them,
either.
The problem comes when our impulses get matched with
opportunity for instant gratification. Here's how it works.
Consider the impulse to spend, combined with a credit card
in your wallet. Too often, the result is unplanned debt
that becomes a problem. Or how about the impulse to watch
television, combined with a big new flat-screen TV? Too
often, the result is wasted time. You see the pattern?
Impulses happen. When we surround ourselves with
opportunities for instant gratification, the result can be
a life lurching out of control.
Now, consider another formula, the one for achievement.
Here it is:
      Desire  +  Discipline  =  Achievement
"Desire" comes from Latin words that mean "of the father."
Our deepest desires represent our true longings, our
mission or purpose in life. When we are clear about our
real DESIRES and combine them with an orderly and
disciplined life, the results can be astonishing!
Jonas Salk had the DESIRE to prevent polio and the
DISCIPLINE to do the research, study his notes and make the
discoveries. The results changed the world. Mary Kay Ash
had the DESIRE to help single moms like herself, and the
DISCIPLINE to find a way. She had no money (she started
with $500) and no business experience, but she pressed
forward. She changed an industry and helped millions of
women in the process.
Random impulses in a world of careless opportunity too
often lead to chaos, debt, and disaster. Knowing your
deepest DESIRES and matching them with even minimal
DISCIPLINE, however, is the recipe for achievement. When
Stephen Covey talks about "starting with the end in mind,"
he's talking about being clear about your desires. When we
talk about written goals, we're talking about strong
desires. When you know what you truly want, and go after it
with discipline and determination, the results are
astounding.
That's the formula for achievement!