What's up, my Greats!

There are things in my life I know I need to work on.

And if I'm being completely transparent...

Sometimes knowing isn't the problem.

Doing something about it is.

Because it's easy to recognize a bad habit.

It's harder to kill it.

It's easy to say:

“I need to stop doing that.”

“I've got to get better at this.”

“I know this isn't good for me.”

Then six months later?

Same habit.

Same excuse.

Same cycle.

I'm learning that there are some things in life you can't negotiate with.

You've got to deal with them aggressively.

Jesus said:

“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away.”
— Matthew 18:8

That's strong language.

But I think that's the point.

Jesus isn't literally telling you to start cutting off body parts.

He's showing you the seriousness with which you should confront the things pulling you away from who God is calling you to become.

And man...

That hits me.

Stop Making Pets Out of Problems

We do this.

We identify something destructive...

then learn how to comfortably live with it.

Procrastination.

Pornography.

Lust.

Jealousy.

Pride.

Unforgiveness.

Anger.

Dishonesty.

Drinking too much.

Terrible spending habits.

Whatever yours is.

We say we're “working on it.”

But sometimes “working on it” becomes Christian-sounding language for tolerating it.

I've had to ask myself:

Manny, are you actually fighting this—or have you just gotten comfortable apologizing for it?

Ouch.

Your Private Habits Eventually Become Public Problems

Entrepreneurs need to understand this.

You can build a successful business while something unhealthy is growing underneath it.

For a while.

But eventually what's happening privately starts affecting what's happening publicly.

Your lack of discipline shows up in your business.

Your insecurity shows up in your leadership.

Your ego shows up in your relationships.

Your financial irresponsibility shows up when the money gets bigger.

Success doesn't automatically fix character.

Sometimes it just gives your weaknesses a bigger stage.

Stop Depending on Willpower

Here's something else I'm learning.

Sometimes saying, “I'll try harder,” isn't enough.

You need boundaries.

You need accountability.

You need to remove access.

You need somebody you can call and say:

“I'm struggling.”

That's not weakness.

That's wisdom.

Whatever keeps defeating you, stop making it easy for that thing to reach you.

Here's Your Challenge

Identify one thing you've been tolerating that you already know needs to change.

Not ten.

One.

Write it down.

Then ask:

What access am I giving this?

What excuse am I making for it?

Who knows I'm struggling with it?

What action can I take TODAY to make continuing this behavior harder?

Then do it.

Not Monday.

Not next month.

Today.

Here's the Bottom Line

I don't have this all figured out.

I'm still working on Manny.

And I'll probably be working on him until God calls me home.

But I'm realizing that growth requires more than awareness.

It requires action.

Some things need prayer.

Some things need accountability.

Some things need boundaries.

And some things need to be cut completely out of your life.

Stop protecting what is destroying you.

Stop negotiating with what keeps pulling you backward.

Stop calling something a “struggle” when you've stopped fighting it.

The person you're asking God to help you become may require you to finally get aggressive about the things keeping you from becoming him.

See it. Admit it. Confront it. Cut it off.

Now go make it happen!

— Manny D. Rosa
Mindset Motivation Newsletter
Entrepreneur | Author | Coach | Podcast Host