If you want it, go do it

Self-improvement takes hard work, not wishes

Wishes won’t get you anywhere in life, but hard work will. Strive to be stronger this new year and set your mind to accomplishing the things you want.

Nobody is asking you to stay in a situation you’re unhappy with — a situation of any kind that leaves you only wanting more and better.

A life in which you think life isn’t fair, and wishing things were easier. Wishing you had more. And that you also had less: problems, debt, stress. While nobody asks for hardships, and while nobody asks to take the hard road, it is those who work through them and their strengths who are able to move forward.

You’ve heard it all: “You’ve got it so much easier. Wish I was as smart as you. You’re strong.”

But those people you talk about are those who took the hard road to get to where they are. It is like the school children who receive the highest marks and those who say, “Well, she’s just smart,” and don’t see the strength behind the scenes to keep those grades high. The sacrifices and the late nights because of who they want to become.

Or the ones who have been through hard times and appear so good now. Those who simply want this did not see what someone else went through to come back to life.

The doers don’t sit and wish. They sit and ... act on what they want. No matter what. Stop wishing life was better, and work instead to have what you want. “I do not pray for a lighter load, but

for a stronger back.” — Phillips Brooks How I love this. Let’s be that person instead. The one who yearns to become stronger because of, and despite, any obstacles that come their way.

Why don’t we instead work on the courage it takes to change what we want, no matter how difficult. Why don’t we become the ones who work through those times when not only the boss is on your back, but the world.

So that instead of sitting there wishing we had it easier, we actually could. Because we’ve earned it.

There are situations you can not change no matter how desperate you want things to be different. But we can work on how we handle them. Work on your strength to move forward. Work on your skills and even communication for a different, and new, beginning. A new tomorrow.

Set new standards for yourself and actually believe in them.

Your thought process is everything. What you moan over leaves you little energy to become better. What you sit and spend time wishing for gets you nowhere in the days ahead.

But action does. How?

Make lists: Instead of just wishing you were better, spend your time and effort on writing down what you want in order to be better. Learn what it takes — and that it takes — hard work to get there. Making this list can help remove you from a situation and into one you’re willing to work and sacrifice toward.

Set small goals: Writing a book doesn’t happen in one day. Neither does training for a marathon. Looking at the big picture is not bad, but only looking at it instead of at the steps needed to get there could be detrimental to your success because it all feels so overwhelming. Don’t only set the small goals, but also deadlines in reaching them. Watching progress in pursuit of what you want is encouraging. Find your way: Determine what works best for you. The time needed to reach your goals, the sacrifice needed to pursue what you want. The patience you will need to make this happen.

“Don’t wish it was easier; wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems; wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge; wish for more wisdom.” — Jim Rohn

Don’t drain yourself waiting and wishing and dreaming that things could get better when you live in a world of opportunity, filled with outreach and chances to be better.

In a world where one more day could make the difference. Where instead of just dreaming, you can be doing.