Drop excuses, take responsibility for growth

“I’m feeling more optimistic, I’m not missing work any more, and I so look forward to the treatment,” she declared. Then Jessica said something that indicated her level of consciousness regarding her health: “As much as I love the benefits, I don’t know how I can continue to justify spending $50 a month on a massage, can you?”

Without thinking too hard, I came up with 10 good reasons for Jessica:

1. It feels good.

2. It benefits your health.

3. You are worth it.

4. You haven’t missed a day of work since you started the massage.

5. You are in a better mood after a massage.

6. You enjoy the massage therapist.

7. It’s a nice way to reward yourself.

8. It’s a better vice than smoking cigarettes.

9. It’s a way to care for yourself.

10. It improves circulation and flexibility.

Jessica’s statement is no different from the person who says, “I’d love to get my college degree but I don’t have time to do it,” or, “I’d love to join your association but my company won’t pay for it.”

Lots of folks struggle in their professional careers, but they won’t spend a dime to get coaching, nor will they invest a few hours reading a book that might give them some answers. Sometimes people are unable to take full responsibility for their life because they don’t think they are worth it.

Your level of consciousness is correlated with your intention of taking full responsibility for your life. One way to avoid taking the responsibility is to blame it on time or money. All you have to do to identify your own level of consciousness is to read the following descriptions.

Level 1 is the person who won’t invest time or money to get what would make their life better, be it education, health, financial prosperity or career advancement. These people simply aren’t interested. They believe in luck and circumstances more than responsibility and action.

These people make excuses, citing their heredity, their background, their lack of education or anything else that they believe keeps them from reaching success. They believe in everything except themselves.

Level 2 people are a bit more advanced. They will take advantage of an opportunity as long as it doesn’t stretch them out of their comfort zone. For example, Level 2 people will gladly go to a workshop or conference if it is on company time and the company pays for it.

This person is committed to convenience and some learning, but this person would never dream of paying for the knowledge himself. The Level 2 person has never considered purchasing educational books, tapes, or seminars because he does not place a high value on knowledge.

The Level 3 person places a high value on knowledge. In fact, the Level 3 person is the one who continually purchases books and listens to tapes and CDs in his car on a regular basis. This person will invest thousands of dollars attending seminars and workshops, but the Level 3 person fails to invest the real time it takes to incorporate the learning or the habit.

They want to get better but don’t want to or can’t find time to put forth the effort. Level 3 people get excited initially but drop the ball or continue to search for the next “fix” that they believe will help them to the next level.

The highest level is Level 4. Level 4 people are willing to invest both their time and their money to grow. These are the people who purchase books and tapes and continue to use them and implement the learning.

Level 4 people are more likely to have an entrepreneurial spirit. If they find value in an organization, they join it even if the company won’t pay for it. They feel appreciative if their company pays for their education, but if they have to go to a seminar on their own time to learn a skill, they do so. If they invest the money in education, they will also invest the time it takes to implement what they learn.

If you want to raise your level of consciousness, change your words. When you say, “I don’t have the time” or, “I can’t afford it,” change the statement to, “It’s not a priority for me right now.” Now you are taking responsibility for your time and your money instead of wishing the boss would pay for it, or instead of blaming outside circumstances for your inability to do what you want.

Marlene Chism, president of ICARE Presentations in Springfield, works with companies that want to build strong business relationships and with individuals who want to be better communicators.

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