Do you prefer a carrot or a stick?

Last week, I wrote about how I have created an extremely high level of accountability for limiting my weekly alcohol consumption. If I don't stay below my designated number, my friend Carl will mail a check to a political party I don't support that I've already written and sent to him for $1,000. What I can share with everyone is how that simple act has had such a profound impact on my behavior in the last week and a half. I love that I have figured out this strategy for myself.

But in sharing this with a coaching group I participate in, it was pointed out that only some are motivated by the same things that motivate me. Of course, I understand that - which got me thinking.

What motivates or drives someone to accomplish a task they've set for themselves? Please don't take that question too lightly because I believe that the answer to that question could dramatically change your life. What if anytime you set a goal for yourself, you achieved it without exception? No matter what you set out to accomplish, you accomplished it. If you think about it, the possibilities are pretty exciting.

You hear about this every New Year when people start discussing setting New Year's resolutions. I'm not sure what the number is, but I know many people who sign up for new gym memberships in January because of a promise to get in shape aren't even showing up at the gym by the end of the first month.

But what if the next time you set a goal around your health, you achieve it? That changes everything. Being able to set and achieve any goal would be a superpower. So, how do you do it?

The answer lies in discovering a powerful reason behind your desire to achieve your goal. Regarding my alcohol consumption, it's simply the threat of giving money to a political party I don't support. That does it for me: the threat of a large sum of money given by me to an organization I don't want to help. But my reverse threat approach wouldn't work for everyone.

So again, the strategy is to devise a powerful enough "why" that you refuse to not follow through on your commitment. I guess the question you can ask yourself is, are you "interested" or "committed"? Because interested people would just "like to achieve" their goals, but the people who are committed will achieve their goals?no matter what. And a?“no matter what” commitment is dramatically different than a commitment you are interested in.

Clearly, I prefer to be motivated with a stick, but motivating with a carrot can be just as effective. Next week, I'll write some more ideas around this subject, but for now, start thinking about ways that you can become "committed" instead of just "interested" in achieving your goals.

Having the superpower of achieving your goals means you can literally accomplish anything. How cool would that be?

Quote of the week:

“When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses - only results.”

Ken Blanchard

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