Changing This 1 Word Can Help You Achieve More With Less Effort

What do I have to do today?

It's a question you ask yourself every morning. You wake up, get ready, and immediately the list of things you have to get done begins to occupy your thoughts. Whether it is a busy day at work, or a weekend full of chores around the house, there always seems to be an endless list of things you have to get done.

But there is a problem - you just don't feel like doing all of those things. So you battle with your own internal resistance as you try to complete your list. But what happens? Either you begrudgingly drag yourself through your list, or because it takes so much effort you get tired and resign yourself to the fact that you simply won't get it all done.

What if there was a better way? What if you could view your to-do list in a way that made instantly more appealing? You can, and all it takes is a simple word swap. Stop saying I have to and start saying I get to.

As someone often labelled a "motivational speaker", sometimes people assume I have anin-born superpower that gives me an endless supply of drive to get things done. I wish that were true. However, like everyone, I sometimes struggle to get myself to do the things I know I need to get done. For instance, I place a high value on exercise. I know it's good for my physical health, and I have learned over the years that it is critical for my mental health as well. I need to get my exercise in several times a week in order to be my best. But guess what; there are many days when I just don't feel like doing it. It is amazing how quickly I can summon excuses on the days when I don't feel like exercising: I'm still sore from yesterday; it's too hot; it's too cold; etc. etc. etc.

One day while struggling to get out and go for a run, I had an epiphany; if I woke up one day and found myself in a wheelchair or otherwise unable to run, I would long to do it just one more time. I would miss it. I would probably look at someone else going for a run and think: you are so lucky that you get to run.

That was it. That was the key. I had to stop saying I have to and start saying I get to. The words I have to are words of obligation. Simply saying that to yourself creates resistance. The words I get to, on the other hand, are words of opportunity and gratitude. When we think of something that we get to do, we look forward to it.

On the days I didn't feel like exercising I tried telling myself: I get to go for a run today. I found my mindset changed. Suddenly this wasn't one more obligation that I wanted to resist, this was an opportunity that I was fortunate to be able to experience. I started trying it with other things I disliked like doing my taxes. I don't like the time and effort it takes to through my finances and file my taxes. I certainly don't like giving the government some of my hard-earned money. Yet, I can think about doing my taxes as something I get to do because filling and paying my income taxes means I have income. I'm fortunate that I can earn a living and support my family. I'm fortunate that I live in a country where we have healthcare, education, roads, and many other things that my taxes pay for.

Try making this simple word swap the next time you don't feel like doing something you know you need to do. You may not feel deep gratitude the first time, but I promise you feel a little less resistance, and thus it will take less stress and effort and allow you do get further down your to-do list than before.