The Butler Project

Mark: I’ve probably talked to well over 1000, 2000 really financially struggling people in my time as a distance education sales rep. And in so many cases, these people tell me stories about “Well, everything was cruising a long, but then THIS [happened].” And, you know a lot of them want it to be 9/11, a lot of them want it to be “my boss,” whatever it was, but they have that moment [where] years ago they just got off track, and they’ve never gotten themselves back on track

Jim: Yeah, and I would point to it and say “Is that really the real problem?”

Mark: Exactly

Jim: And I suggest that that’s not the real problem. The real problem is starting something before you have the strength of character and discipline to see it through. That the true power comes from the ability to make and keep commitments.

$100,000 to bench press 270 lbs? I WILL win that bet.

It’s just like lifting weights

Too often we think, you know, “I’ve never started a company before. I haven’t shown any behavior in my life that shows discipline. I’m lethargic, I’m indolent, and I procrastinate, but all the sudden on one day I’m going to wake up and I’m going to have the ability to be a disciplined decision maker.” That is the great lie that so many people succumb to. Because it’s just like lifting weights. I haven’t personally been in the weight room in three years, so if somebody bet me a thousand dollars that I couldn’t bench 270 pounds tomorrow, it’s not like that thousand dollars could motivate me to do it. If they offered me a hundred thousand dollars to bench press 270 lbs tomorrow, I still can’t do it.

Mark: Right.

Jim: If they offer me a million dollars, it’s not like I can say, “Ohh, now I can do it.” If they make me that bet that I can’t bench press 270 lbs two years from now, they are going to lose their bet because I’m disciplined. I will make it happen. I WILL make it happen. But it’s foolish to take the bet if the bet means I have to do it tomorrow.

Well, similarly, too often people rush into trying to, they foolishly and ignorantly think that they are more disciplined and stronger than they are. And so I think the foundation of preparing to be successful whether it’s starting your own business or successful in anything… is your ability to make and keep commitments.

Put up a good fight for 6 months, a year, two years.

If you can’t be disciplined, then how is it you are separating yourself from your peers? The reality is that most people are not disciplined. Most people do procrastinate. Most people do not have the ability to consistently make good decisions based on good values, day in day out over a long period of time. Most people are good sprinters. They show up at a new job or start a new business and they’re really good for a week. Maybe they’re really good for a month. But… very few people can put up a good fight for 6 months, a year, two years, and that’s my opinion.

Preparing for success

My opinion is that the key to preparing for success is to start making and keeping commitments and developing some self discipline and that gives you the power necessary to see you through the tough times or the “unforeseen tough times.”

Photo credit: ericmcgregor