Today, I spoke to Brian Tracy, who is the Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a bestselling author of over 45 books, including his latest called No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline. Brian is one of the most well-known self-help guru’s in the world. In this interview, Brian talks about the importance of self-discipline, the three areas we should all focus on, why we need to stop making excuses, and more.
What is the true power of self-discipline?
The practice of self-discipline raises your self-esteem and self-confidence, increases your self-respect and sense of personal power, and puts you in complete control of every area of your life. It enables you to overcome any obstacle and achieve any goal you can set for yourself.
What three major areas in life should someone focus on and why?
The three most important areas in life are your work and financial situation, your family and relationships, and your health and fitness.
When you give yourself of grade 1-10 in each of these areas, you see immediately which area needs work. In almost every case, you already know exactly what you need to do to solve your problems or achieve your goals in those areas. The key is to discipline yourself to take the first step to change or improve your situation. Everything else will follow from that.
Why did you call your latest book “No Excuses!”? Why do people make excuses in the first place?
Human beings, Homo sapiens, are rational creatures. Because of this, they rationalize their situations to themselves and others. They create apparently acceptable reasons for otherwise unacceptable behaviors. To rationalize is to tell “rational-lies.”
When you decide to stop making excuses and instead make progress, your whole world changes. When you discipline yourself to take action rather than to procrastinate, you feel a surge of self-esteem, self-respect and personal power. You put yourself in control of your life and your destiny.
Most people have the disease of “Excuse-itis,” the habit of making excuses for the problems and difficulties in our lives. But all high-achievers, leaders, and exceptional men and women refuse to make excuses. Instead, they accept responsibility and take action to overcome their obstacles and move forward.
Is “No Excuses!” a mindset? What steps do you have to take to change your attitude for the better?
You first form your habits, and then your habits form you. The rule is that good habits are hard to form but easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to form but hard to live with. And everything in life is habit.
When people make excuses repeatedly for problems, difficulties and their own personal shortcomings, they soon develop the habit of making excuses in every situation. It becomes automatic and easy, and leads invariably to a negativity, failure and underachievement.
The true leader accepts responsibility and refuses to make excuses for anything or anyone. He or she says, “I am responsible!” and then gets busy doing whatever needs to be done to solve the problem or achieve the goal.
The key to ridding oneself of the excuse-making mentality is to first of all, resolve that you are not going to make excuses anymore. Select the biggest problem or obstacle in your life and accept responsibility for resolving it. Then, take action and keep taking action, until you have solved your problem or achieved your goal. This begins to re-program your sub-conscious mind and put yourself on a completely new trajectory.
How should people balance long-term strategies with short-term goals?
Short-term goals are the stepping stones to the achievement of long-term goals.
First of all, decide where you want to be in each key area of your life five years from today. Imagine that you have no limitations.
Second, make a list of everything that you would have to do, starting today, to achieve your long-term goals. Organize this list by sequence and priority. By sequence, you organize the list in terms of what has to be done first, and what has to be done later. By priority, you organize your list in terms of what is more important and what is less important.
With a long-term goal, accompanied by a list organized by sequence and priority, you have a plan that will enable you to accomplish more than in the next year or two than most people accomplish in a lifetime.
The final step is for you to incorporate your short-term activities into your daily planning. Everyday, you should do something that moves you toward your most important goal. Eventually, you develop a sense of forward momentum that makes you unstoppable.
Self-discipline is the key to becoming everything that you are capable of becoming, and achieving every goal that you can set for yourself.
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Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. Brian Tracy has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 4,000,000 people in 4,000 talks and seminars throughout the US, Canada and 40 other countries worldwide. As a Keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year. He is the top selling author of over 45 books, including his latest called No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline, that have been translated into dozens of languages. He has written and produced more than 300 audio and video learning programs, including the worldwide, best-selling Psychology of Achievement, which has been translated into more than 20 languages. He has traveled and worked in over 80 countries on six continents, and speaks four languages. Brian is happily married and has four children. He is active in community and national affairs, and is the President of three companies headquartered in Solana Beach, California. Brian is also the President of Brian Tracy University, a private on-line University for sales and entrepreneurship.
