You’ve got big goals. So why do you spend over 3 hours a day scrolling through your phone?

And wake up late. And binge Netflix too often. And dream of your ideal life, but don’t do a single thing to get there.

Motivation and staying accountable is a funny thing.

You quickly learn that once you move into adulthood, there are very few things and people depending on you to show up and get your shit together. Luckily I’ve always been a pretty self-motivated person.

Some of my motivation was birthed from a twisted desire to be perfect, so I’ve had to clean that mindset up a bit. Now my motivation comes from the deep connection I have to my why or my purpose.

This feeling isn’t unshakable, I have my days.

But for the most part, I’m excited to get moving everyday and I’m aimed at a greater thing than just the day-to-day. This creates a sense of greater meaning to life and makes waking up to an early alarm, committing to a gym membership, and meal prepping like I’m prepping to feed a family of six, all worth the work.

And don’t forget that it is WORK.

Don’t be fooled by the glamour of adulthood (if that's even a real thing?) - with all the freedom in the world, comes all the responsibility. Most people who find what success looks like for them, work VERY hard.

Just so we're on the same page about what hard work feels and looks like, here’s a little peek into what my last year and a half of building my own business has looked like:

Jan - April 2016 - Research, plan for, save money, design a website, complete coaching certification, do SOOO much personal development, all to launch my initial business idea (required me to work 40 hours a week at my job and tack on and extra 20 hours or so during evenings and weekends to basically create my new career)

May 2016 - Quit my full time, salary-paying job, feeling like a scared little baby

June 2016 - Launch The Courage Collective - take on all things completely - website, marketing, coaching, program development, workshops, communications, budgeting, finances, blog, etc etc etc - this requires me to hold myself accountable, make big To Do lists, set deadlines, and continue to replenish my energy in order to stay healthy while doing it (ie. eat healthy, sweat, meditate)

July - Aug 2016 - Redesign everything. New site, new coaching packages, new new new. The first two years have been a series of experiments. Fun experiments because all of this is mine and I can try different things. BUT it's a tiring process to put love into something only to tear it apart and come back to the drawing board. PERSEVERANCE has been my #1 go-to.

Aug 2016 - Apply for, interview with, and get supplementary job at local yoga studio.

Aug 2016 to Jan 2018 - Work 20-25 hours a week at the studio (waking up at 5:30am each day to be able to just work mornings so that I can put in a whole other 30 hours working on The Courage Collective and other multiple collaborations while still taking good care of my wellness because I believe so wholeheartedly in practicing what I preach. If I’m telling people to take care of themselves in a holistic way, I will be an example of that).

So here we are.

And I’m still going. I have wanted to quit once in awhile, but I have wanted to keep going at every other moment outside of that. I may not seem like it, but I can be the Queen of Excuses sometimes. Because I have come to know myself well enough to combat that nonsense with a stronger will power, I'm able to keep moving forward.

It’s important that you know, I do not believe in the glorification of busyness. It’s the sickness of our culture and in no way do I recommend that you deplete yourself for the achievement of your goals.

What I am trying to show you is that anyone who has done anything has had to get creative with their time, skills, and resources to do so. And they have had to be more strict with themselves than ever before. No one sets my business’ deadlines and goals other than me. In the same way that no one tells me to go to the gym, do my groceries, apply for that job, or meditate, other than me, myself, and I.

YOU are responsible for YOU, so get your big person pants on and get real with yourself.