Most people start strong and fizzle. That used to be me too.

You'll start something and then something happens. (Note: something will always happen…) You will look at that “something” as a valid reason to: stop, quit, change course, delay, slow down, question, doubt, run, hide, lie and stop showing up for yourself.

You do everything the way you do one thing.

Most people haven't been anywhere near their limits because you hit your fears first.

Your pattern is to turn when it gets difficult and uncomfortable. To achieve a Big Dream or Big Growth or to solve a BIG Problem you need to NOT turn.

Firefighters run INTO a burning building and we run out of one. You have to train yourself to be able to run into your burning building! You have to train yourself to run TOWARDS danger and fear.

Most of you know the acronym for fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. It’s so “real” that you respect it and treat it like a factor that is allowed to consistently change your course.

You have a tendency to confront your fears only when you have no other choice. And the more successful you are, the more you will confront a fear by CHOICE.

Learning to confront fear by choice takes practice. That means in the beginning, you can't do it. Do you get it? Do you see the import of that to your life?

Solution: It is best for you to engineer your circumstances so that you burn your bridges behind you - REMOVING THE OPTION TO RUN, you then have no other choice but to go forward and face your fear.

Once you've done this several times you will begin to build a new pattern - the pattern that says I faced my fear and it WASN’T real. I faced my fear and it wasn't as scary. I faced my fear and it didn't stop me. (That is the mindset of a Bad Ass in training, like my women).

It is only by this repeated, actual practice that you begin to discredit the power of fear to alter your course and block your good choices.

I was just at a coaching conference that drew coaches and women business owners from all over the world. My calling? I spent the week coaching those coaches in the hallway, in the bathroom, hotel rooms and restaurants and on every break. (So cool that God trusts me to this work!)

One coach, who is a fully fantastic health worker and acupuncturist for over 35 years came to me in frustration. She was resisting the HELP she needed to grow her business & herself.

She needed to begin burning her bridges behind her. She needed to box herself in. She was frustrated that she HAD to do such crazy, expensive things in order to get where she wants to go. 

I told her to stop it and just do what it takes FOR HER.  Stop judging what YOU NEED TO SUCCEED. If she needs three different coaching programs to box herself in, then she (a coach) should DO that.

Are you judging what it takes you to succeed? Stop it. Some people are very good at math (that’s me!) and others had to hire tutors just to get through. Don’t spend time complaining you need a tutor. Hire the tutor for the full damn year (burn your bridges behind you) and get on with it honey! :-)

I spoke to another coach for several hours on Sunday. She was applying for me to coach her and I turned her down because she could not fully commit and burn bridges behind her.

She wants to have to back doors, a "what if" plan and a “just in case” escape route.  She was “wiggly” and wanted to “try”. Definitely in “Let Wait & See What Happens” LWSWH Energy. That’s a HELL NO for me and should be for you too.

***If you are flakey, if you spin, if you often find yourself in “overwhelm”, if you can see your pattern of starting strong and getting distracted you need to BOX YOURSELF INTO YOUR DECISIONS SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO RUN. You need to begin burning bridges behind you.   

In armies all over the planet, in times not so long ago, the standing order was to SHOOT ALL DESERTERS. The military had to “burn that bridge” to prevent people from running away.

You may not agree with wars and military tactics but the policy of total NON-TOLERANCE to quitting is powerful.  When quitting isn’t an option all that is left is DOING IT.

It is not a competition to see who has the easiest route to success. I don't care how hard your route is to success. It's YOUR route. They all look different.

It is always the ego when you catch yourself comparing. So what if it’s harder for YOU to lose weight, YOU to find a great mate or YOU to build your business.

It is up to you to tell yourself the truth about what YOU PERSONALLY need to succeed, then go find that and box yourself into it. (Hint: Yes, you can translate “box myself in” as strong commitment with a penalty for bailing.)

Almost all of you need a coach, but very few of you will get one, because you'll never get past the idea that “I shouldn't HAVE TO spend money to make myself do what I already know I should do.”

I love you and the next year will pass anyway. The only question is where will you be at the end of the next year? Be honest, when 2016 began you SAID you’d do more, be more, grow more and make more.

What have you ACTUALLY gotten done this year?

All good coaches have coaches. I spent $21,000+ this year on coaching and yes, that hurt a little! I boxed myself in to do that and I am soo freaking happy I did.

I learned I can coach anyone but my super power is helping women business owners (Alpha Females) who are struggling with their relationships transform their whole life. That specificity arrived after I did the uncomfortable.

I’m also adding running back into my life alongside my high intensity interval training.  I just signed up for the Atlanta Christmas 5K road race Dec 17^th because I don't feel like running!

Look back at your life, at the last two or three things that were a “do or die” situation for you, that you just HAD to make it work - had to proverbially "make away where there is no way. "

You DID IT didn't you? You figured it out. You made it happen. One of my coaches loves the word grit. It is Grit that helps you through those kinds of moments.

What I am suggesting is, that you should actually engineer more of those kinds of moments to build up your grit muscle.

When you know you CAN, even when you don't WANT to - you become fearless. It is best for you to burn bridges behind you until you have the habit of facing fear without running.

(And no, this doesn't mean you should send a nastygram to your boss tomorrow.)

Pick one thing and lock yourself in by telling everyone the choice you made (like my race!). Peer pressure and pride will keep you moving!