Willingness

We can develop the most beautiful plans, determine each action step, have milestones in place but most of us fail to answer this question: Am I willing?

To follow through with you plan of action you must change your current situation – maybe you need to start studying science to build the rocket ship to reach the starts or work longer hours to earn more money. Are you willing to get out of your current comfort zone to reach your dream?

Being willing means to accept responsibility and the consequence of the change. If you think you are willing, then why do you resist the change? Why not tackle the plan head on and run with it?  Why start of with a bang and then… back to the comfortable way things used to be?

Humans are creatures of comfort. Change results in uncertainty. It is easier to stay on familiar ground than to wander off into the unknown because you do not know what is lying in front of you. In this unknown territory some surprises are lurking and a very few people I know likes surprises. 95% of our daily life, we are acting out of the subconscious, in other words – you are not even aware of the things you are doing – things like driving a car. You know how to drive, therefore you do it automatically. It is the same with other things you do. You are living basically on autopilot. You know what to do so you do just that. But change requires you to be aware of your actions, everything seems different. You are starting to doubt yourself. You are asking yourself if you are competent to embark on this new journey, what will my friends and family think of me? It feels like you are losing control. So again, are you willing to embrace the uncertainty?

Gary John Bishop states in his book – Unf*ck yourself- “You have the life you’re willing to put up with.” Harsh words! Till you take the time to think about it and think about the fact that humans are creatures of comfort.

This life you are currently living, is it yours? Is it to gain approval from your parents? Do you feel that society expects it from you? Is it because how it has always been? Is it because you are afraid of failure? What do you actually want? Are you willing to stay in the comfort zone you are currently in or are you willing to be uncomfortable?

Willing – 1. adjective. If someone is willing to do something, they are happy about doing it and will do it if they are asked or required to do it (Collins English Dictionary). Willing – 2. someone who does something enthusiastically and because they want to do it – rather than because they are forced to do it.

Thus, to be willing means nobody forces you to do something, it is your choice. Just as it is your choice not to act. You are not a puppet; you have free will. With free will comes responsibility for your action or inaction.

Every time you are saying “I cannot achieve this because…” “I am willing to do that but…” You are not taking responsibility; you are playing the blame game and the victim. This means that at any given moment you are doing what you want to do.

You must consider the flipside of willingness as well, to be unwilling. To be unwilling means that you are not willing to put up with your current situation. You are unwilling to continue binge watching series, unwilling to comply with the expectations of others. Unwillingness is just as powerful and action driven.

First you need to decide what you want. Decide if you are willing to take on the responsibility. Decide if you are willing to be uncomfortable when acting. Then draw the line!

At any given moment ask yourself: Am I willing?”