I have good news and bad news...

First, the bad news: you are NOT special. You ARE just like everyone else. Your life isn't any worse or harder than anyone else; meaning, we all have struggles. We are all challenged by something. We all have times of self-doubt, experience feelings of inadequacy and have our own personal challenges from the curve balls that life will inevitably throw at us.

Despite these hurdles, I have some very good news for you! No matter what the challenge or struggle that is before you or the dream you wish to chase, I can assure you that you have only ONE competitor/enemy to overcome; and you know that individual better than anyone... YOURSELF.

Want to know how easy it is to recognize and overcome this? Before you continue reading this post, find something to write with and take the next five minutes to write down the top one or two hurdles facing you right now. Below each hurdle, write down a few things that you absolutely can do (however small) that might support your progress towards overcoming that hurdle. (Stop reading now and start writing... go ahead, I'll wait for you.)

For example: You want to get into better shape. What might be some things that you could do right now? The key is to take action regardless of how small the action might be. Forward progress creates momentum which you can build upon.

The key thing to remember is that all of these actions are 100% within your control. You can decide to do them or not. Now let me ask you... did you actually stop reading above to write something down? Or did you just keep on reading because it was easier? Either way, you were 100% in control whether you realized it or not.

"If you do what is easy, your life will be hard. However, if you do what is hard, your life will be easy.

- Les Brown

In that instant above you chose one path over another. We do this hundreds of times a day. If you do not have your goals and actions written down and you don't train yourself to routinely be conscious of these micro-decisions you are making all the time, then you are empowering your only enemy to your success.

[Original blog with Les Brown Video]