INSANITY

You know what the definition of insanity is don't you? "It's doing the same old thing over and over again but expecting different results." That's insanity! Doing the same old thing over and over again but expecting different results will drive you insane...and it's stupid. Yet many of us do this to ourselves all the time.

Let me give you some examples of INSANITY.

• "You know, there's this job position I'd like to have, but I never seem to get it. I just don't understand why I can't get a break."
  
• "I just can't seem to get ahead with my finances. I hope this year I get ahead for a change."


• I wish things were different between my spouse and I, maybe things will get better.


• I sure wish my boss wasn't such a jerk, things would be so much better if only he was nicer and friendlier.


• My car always breaks down on me and it's preventing me from getting to work, I hope it runs better from now on.

Dave Ramsey, radio talk show host, said it best. He says, "The only one that can help you, is you." He says, "Take a mirrior and look into it and there you'll find the answer or solution to your problems." He also adds, "You'll also find the reason for your problems." "It's time to take charge of your life and do something about it to make it different." Of course Dave Ramsey was talking in terms of getting rid of the debt that you may have created. Many people get themselves into serious financial trouble, then wonder why they can't get out of it. They feel they just never gain any ground, it's like they take one step forward and two steps back. Dave's just saying out loud what you already know. It won't get better unless you do something different than what you have been doing all along. It sounds simple but it happens all the time. We wish things were different, we dream of a better day. We hope that things can improve. But to do any of that without a change of plans or direction, and then acting on it, will acheive nothing more than the same old problems, and you'll go just a little more nuttty because of it. Along with that insane feeling you have, what's worse is you begin to lose confidence in yourself, your self esteme begins to go away. We sulk, we pout, we digress, and sit back and make things worse by wishing things were dfferent rather than making things different.

Here's a very simple illistration of doing the same old thing but expecting different results. This ilistration sounds silly when you read it, but if your honest with yourself, you see similarities in this and the way we wish things were different sometimes. Here's the illustration...

I have a picket fence that is painted white, I wish it was a light green color instead. So I go to the shed and get my paint and brush and I paint the fence. When I'm done, I look back at the fence and it's still white. So I paint some more, hoping to see a green fence when I'm done. But sure enough it's still white. So I throw up my hands in disgust and go back inside the house and sulk because my fence is white and I wanted it to be green. I put all this work into this project and it didn't improve. The results I wanted never happened. So what happened? Why did the fence stay white, even after all my hard work? Well, you know the answer... I never changed the color of the paint. If only I would have changed that one thing, I would have had some new and different results. But because I used the same old tools I have always used and the same old paint I've always had, I got the same old results I've always gotten. Now before you say something like... "Man Steve, That was a pretty lame example." I want you to reflect on times that you want things to be different but they never changed. Why didn't they? Well the answer is because you didn't do anything different, you didn't change something so the end result didn't change either.

It's amazing to me how often I hear people say they'd like to be in a different job position at work, but never do anything different to prepare them for that move. It's like they expect it to just happen to them, and then they're disappointed when it doesn't just happen. MAKE it Happen! Study for it, Learn new things, and show yourself ready for it. We can't change the job unless we change ourself first.

It's amazing how many times I hear of people wishing the other person in their relationship was nicer, friendlier, and different in some way, but what have we done differently to be nicer, freindlier, and different towards that person. We can't change the relationship unless we change ourself first.

It's amazing to me how often my car breaks down, yet I don't plan on doing anything different to make it better. Maybe it needs a tune up? Maybe I just need to begin saving for a better car with less problems? Whatever it is,I need to do something different or I should expect to be walking to work some more this year. The situation with my car is not going to change unless I do something differently.

You get the point don't you. It really is simple to acheive different results... just do something different and the outcome will change. Try it on the little things and watch how easy it is. Tomorrow when you go to work, smile at your co workers and offer friendly converstaion. See what impact or change you see in them because of the way you changed. You'll be amazed at the results.

STOP going insane, do something different and change the results of your life.

Steve