IT’S A DATE

When we don’t set a date, we often don’t do.

I am so guilty of this in some areas of my life, but an absolute gun at it in others.

“I will go on holiday some day, I just don’t have the money for it yet.”

“I need to get that fence fixed.”

“I’ll start Crossfit soon, I just need to get a bit fitter first.”

When we don’t set a due date, an expiry, a completion date… We end up procrastinating like all hell. And guess what? It rarely gets done.

The moment we actually set a date, our brains start ticking… 

“Okay I’ve got this many months and days, I need to get this from Bunnings, I’ve got to organise a babysitter, this needs to be done first before I can then do that, I need to start saving $XX per week until we go…”

Things start happening. 

It might not even be everything that needs to be done. But a whole lot more than what you were doing beforehand. Suddenly the ball starts rolling. 

Sometimes f*** all still happens, but the deadline alone has now committed you to the task. You might end up smashing it out last minute and getting through by the skin of your teeth. But you still get there. 

With pressure comes action.

I go away on trips pretty regularly. More regularly than the average person. We definitely don’t earn a mint to be able to afford it all either. But I do often come across many people that feel like they don’t have enough money or earn enough money to go on trips, whether they be local or far away, cheap or expensive. When in actual fact, they most probably do. 

I think that the only difference is, is that we are more likely to say ‘fk it, let’s do it’, and then commit to a date.

I didn’t even realise this was our method until a recent conversation with a member. When we’ve decided we want to go away somewhere, we pick a rough date and either book the flights or the accommodation then and there. We don’t have the rest of the money available for the trip yet at all. But by committing to the date, all of a sudden we find ourselves under some good healthy pressure, pressure that forces us to take some necessary action. We start tightening up the purse strings. We audit our life and cut out unnecessary expenses. We eat out less. We don’t waste money on junk. (Not only has this helped us cut out the unnecessary for the sake of a trip, but it often helps us keep it cut for good!) 

We sacrifice what we deem to be less valuable and potentially detrimental to the success of our trip. How many of us cry poor and unable to go on a trip or buy a decent gym membership that will actually give you the help you need? But happily drop over $70+ a week on booze, cigs, take away and/or foxtel? $70×52 weeks is $3640. $3640 can buy you a bloody good holiday! …or a fkng good gym, with change to spare 😉

Sometimes when we reach the trip we don’t have as much money as planned. No biggie. We do a few less activities and don’t blow money on overpriced cocktails. We still have an amazing time. We’ve still created the opportunity to spend quality time together, to get outside our bubble, to have a good look at our lives from a different angle. 

To us, that’s what we value. 

For almost 2 years I have considered sitting the CrossFit Level 3 exam. But I never committed to it. It is something I have wanted to do and valued highly for so long. But I continued to put it off. I now have only 6 weeks to sit AND pass my exam or else my CrossFit certification becomes invalid and I have to go back and repeat my Level 2 course. I will also have to put the CrossFit Cranbourne affiliation under Shannon, our head coach’s name until I revalidate myself. I have set the date for the exam, October 10, reckon I have now committed to studying? You bloody betchya!

We have a big beautiful picture at home that I have been meaning to put up on the wall for at least a year now. I have yet to commit to it. It is still not done.

In the same conversation I had with some members the other day, another joined in and added to the theory, “I’ve just signed up to a huge endurance cycling event in March. Do you think I am going to achieve that at the current size I am? Hell no! It is now the kick I need to make sure I get the weight off. Because I AM doing that bike ride!”

How bloody powerful is that!? 

How many more things have you done, or not done, because of your commitment or lack of commitment to a date?

What could you currently have already achieved right now if you had just commit to a date?

What is it that you said you were going to do, but still have yet to do so because you haven’t commit to a date? 

Ready to pick a date?

It’s a date! 

Stu.