Third Characteristic That Shapes Our Reality: Maintaining Your Effort

“Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to pay the price.” Vince Lombardi

Whoever said anybody has a right to give up? Marian Wright Edelman

You began by building your confidence through the accumulation of experience and research. You maintained a constant commitment by action planning and steadfast perseverance. Now is the time to add the fuel to your engine of change: effort.

What is effort? Effort, according to Websters, “is the total work done to achieve a particular end.” Effort is also a “conscious exertion of power. . . or a serious attempt.” Effort makes all the difference in the world.

Your effort, either 110% or less than ideal, is your personal measurement to how well your are performing your tasks in order to change. You can NOT lie to yourself-when you do not give your best effort you know it.

Three Steps To Maintain Your Effort

1. 100% Effort: Always give your maximum effort, your best efforts to your work

2. Quality is Job 1: Do NOT cut corners, speed through without care, or attempt to short change the process. Sloppy work is less than your best effort

3. Recognize Your Value: Recognize that others can benefit by what you have to offer

Second Characteristic That Shapes Our Reality: How To Maintain Your Commitment

Once you have built your confidence and belief in yourself, the next step to shaping your reality is to maintain a high level of commitment toward your vision. Commitment is defined as a “pledge or promise, obligation, engagement or involvement.” It is the glue and strength that holds together an action plan.

Four Steps To Maintaining Your Commitment

1. Key areas for development; break your vision down into areas for development

2. Create step-by-step goals for each area of development. This gives you an instant measurement tool for your progress and a method to chart your time

3. Add Detail to your goals by working through each one step by step

4. Repeat the confidence building ideas above as needed. The process of commitment requires repetition