STEP 1 to LASTING Change - Part 1 of 4

In celebration of our book Catch Fire: How to Ignite your Own Economy being finished and delivered I will do a 4 part Blog briefly covering each of the ‘steps to change’ that you find in Chapter 9 of the book.

If you have not yet purchased your own COPY of the book do so now at www.catchfirebook.com For a LIMITED time you will get an autographed copy if you buy the SOFT COVER!

Part 1; Irritation: Popping Pills

STEP ONE; Get IRRITATED!

North America isn’t just addicted to their prescriptions. They take all kinds of other pills you cannot see but rather hear. They sound like…

Excuses, Rationalizations and Justifications.

These are pain pills people take so not to feel the pain or irritation of their current situation. Its how the mind keeps you “comfortable” with where you are at rather then think of and take action towards where you could be.

EXAMPLES of Excuses: "I don’t have enough time, money or support. I am too old, young, fat, stupid, I need a _____ for that and I don’t have it etc… "

EXAMPLES of Rationalizations: "When the kids get older… when my spouse…I am not a ‘morning person’, I could never do that, it’s just not my personality, I’ll start in the fall... it’s just bad timing, etc…"

EXAMPLES of Justifications: "We really do have so much to be grateful for, I am happy where I am at, we are fine, It’s really not that important to me, I guess it’s not meant to be, My life is just so complicated right now, I have so much on my plate, All you need is love etc…"

Any of these sound familiar?? So which of these are your fall back position when things are tough or when you are faced with an opportunity to change your life?

Again the mind uses these to numb the pain of NOT having what it is you truly desire. Your heart has ideas and dreams, and they were put there for a reason. Each one of us has something special to do in this life! You HAD dreams and goals…where are they now? You buried them alive with your pain pills!

The truth is most people live comfortably miserable. They pop these pills all day long in every conversation they have with their friends, family and co-workers to ensure they don’t feel the disappointment, shame, anger or pain of their perceived failure. Since everyone around you is typically doing the same thing it makes it FAR easier to just keep doing it. This creates a RUT many never get out of.

Now I am not saying not to be grateful for what you have, just don’t use it as justification for not living your full purpose.

The more time and money you have the larger the impact you can have in your life and the lives of others. Marianne Williams said it best when she said; “Playing small does not serve you or the world”

The fact is most people will NOT take consistent lasting action towards their goals until they have hit what I call their “bottom line”. Everyone has one, but most never hit it for all the pain pills they are popping, literally and metaphorically.


The MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION is: when is it going to get tough enough for you to say to your self; “This is IT!! I am done living this way!”?

When it does happen, people shift in an instant and their lives will forever be changed. Many people have this after a near death experience. An accident, a heart attack etc… I am thankful that was not my bottom line. My story isn’t that exciting, but it was painful enough for me to make the necessary changes to get out!

Impatient to create your freedom? For a week, a month or whatever you can stand STOP taking the pain pills and actually FEEL the pain of your situation. Allow yourself to get REALLY IRRITATED with your reality! Is it the reality of living paycheck to paycheck? Escalating debt, kids college fund dwindled away to pay bills? A medical emergency sucks you dry, a job loss, not being able to fulfill your hearts desires and dreams? Whatever it is about your current situation you don’t like get to the point where you CANNOT STAND it ANYMORE! Then see what happens!

"When I clearly see where I should be and what I lack, and feel the pain of not being there, I merit the gift of my next level and growth". - Michael Berg