To understand the real roots of ghosting, we need to understand the difference between the natural and covenant mindsets and how they manifest in dating decisions.  Although encouraged to be not of the world, LDS singles still live in the world.  As such, without sufficient awareness, LDS singles more easily succumb to being of the world in their dating decisions.

The natural and covenant mindsets differ mainly in what they value most.  Natural men and women most value self-gratification.  What satiates the desires of evolutionary biology to pass good genetic material to the next generation dominates decision making.  In contrast, covenant men and women most value making and keeping sacred covenants.  They’ll give up some things of this world to have the things of the world to come.

That difference cannot be overemphasized.  Placing higher value on the desires of evolutionary biology essentially turns the heart towards this fallen imperfect world and our mortal life in it.  That priority says temple marriage and the world of eternity are acceptable only if natural desires are fully satisfied in this world of mortality.  Exactly opposite, the covenant mindset places higher value on the desires of discipleship and turning the heart towards the eternal world to come.

Ghosting plays right into the natural mindset.  But women ghost more than men because the natural woman doesn’t have the same values as the natural man.  Both most value self-gratification, but what gratifies the natural man often doesn’t gratify the natural woman.

Natural men value youth and beauty because these women are more likely to bear healthier children.  But natural women don’t value youth; men can play their part well into old age.  Instead, natural women value looks, muscles, money, and status because these things make it more likely the woman will bear healthier children or the woman and child will receive support after the birth.  It’s all about perpetuating this life in this world.

Ghosting plays right into that mindset.  Because of what she values most, the natural woman is always looking for a better option that’ll make it more likely she’ll bear healthier children and/or have support after the birth.  That’s what ghosting essentially is.  It’s exchanging someone less desirable for someone more desirable based on perceived ability to perpetuate life in this world.

Conversely, the covenant mindset seeks to perpetuate eternal life in the world to come.  Because it’s not natural to think that way, the covenant mindset requires conscious choice and discipline along the road of covenant discipleship.

King Benjamin taught as much in his classic discourse to his people.  Mosiah 3:19 teaches how to overcome the natural man.  The same prescription works for the natural woman.  Just replace all the masculine words with their feminine complements.  Either way, putting off the natural mindset requires conscious choice.  And we do it through the Atonement.

But you can’t choose the covenant if you aren’t aware.  Without awareness, we’ll all simply do what comes naturally.  The world, either in ignorance or rejection of the covenant, fully embraces the natural mindset.  This is the world where LDS singles live.  Being not of the world means recognizing that influence and consciously choosing against it.

We can start by chasing away ghosting.  That’ll take time and patience.  After all, no one’s perfectly in the covenant mindset.  We’re all both the natural and the covenant according to we’re at on the path of eternal progression.  But when we start by recognizing that truth and then increasing our awareness of which decisions the natural mindset dominates and which the covenant, we can let Christ and His Atonement into every aspect of our lives.  And that will bring us more joy in our journey.

Conference provides a great opportunity to reflect and recommit ourselves to a better path.  But truth be told, every single day holds the same opportunity.  Each day provides a new opportunity to consider your ways and act to change your life.

We all have the same 24 hours each day, but we all choose to spend it differently.  And how you spend your time reveals what you value most in life.

Me?  I’ve always been a big fan of sleep.  There’s no way it’s overrated.  It’s fantastic!  But you can pursue many things to excess, and sleep is no exception.  I’m sure we’re all familiar with the admonition in D&C 88:124 to “arise early.”  I’m actually still working on that.

But I’ve found, when I can do it, an early start radically changes the entire day.  I’m way more productive, producing more value more easily.  I feel more focused and energized throughout the day.  And at the end of the day, I’m just more satisfied with myself.

I don’t get those benefits if I prioritize personal playtime and consuming content, and neither will you.  If you want your best life, you need to answer these questions: Do you devote more time to worthy causes or frivolous pursuits?  Are you the captain of your life’s ship, or do you just float wherever the waves of life take you?

Speaking of sleep, what does “retire to thy bed early” mean?  I think we each must find our own way.  For myself, the sooner I get to sleep, the easier it is to beat the sun up.  My body simply takes what sleep it needs, so staying up late doesn’t help me “arise early.”  And if I don’t get up early, I won’t get the resultant benefits.

In fact, getting up late usually means getting the exact opposite.  I get tons more desire to play and waste the day.  If I do manage to drag myself into some productive pursuit, I’m anything but focused.  My mind goes all over the map.  At the end of the day, I’m left with nothing but the shame of having wasted the day.

On my mission, I heard an African story.  Every morning a gazelle awakens.  He knows his best chance of escaping the tiger hunting him is to get as much of a head start as he can.  But every morning that tiger also awakens.  He knows his best chance of eating that day depends on catching the gazelle before he starts running.  Thus, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a gazelle or a tiger.  When the sun comes up, you had better be running.

Your sleep schedule is just one of many ways you should consider.  We should all reflect on what we need to get where we each want to go and then consider getting what we don’t have but need.  Sometimes that means gaining new knowledge.  Sometimes that means acquiring a new tool.  Sometimes that means having the right people in your life.  Your Heavenly Father, the Lord, and the Spirit are indispensable members of that support team.  Don’t forget to include them in your plans for success.

In the end, you won’t get the most out of life unless you live intentionally.  Only by choosing your activities with intention can you get the most juice for your squeeze.  And the best intention for your time includes your own personal ministry by which you contribute to making the world a better place.

So consider your ways.  Are you making the most of every day?  Are you living with intention?  I can’t say I always have.  But I can say I’ve experienced real joy in living when I’ve consciously chosen how to spend my time to achieve worthy goals.  And I’m grateful to be reminded of the opportunity each day brings to consider my ways and make changes where necessary.

If you haven’t considered your ways recently, do so now.  You’ll open the door to feeling more satisfied with yourself each and every day.  And that will bring you more joy in your journey.

That attitude has everyone accepting only “top shelf,” which is great if you can get it but isn’t essential to maximizing your joy in life.  That maximum joy comes from embracing good enough. And just like worthiness is not flawlessness, good enough is not flawless.

How incredibly ironic that many LDS singles expect perfection in an eternal companion but then also expect they’ll be completely acceptable in their imperfection.  They expect the “perfect” person to love them for who they are as they are.  It’s as though change has no place in their equation.

But change is at the heart of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  Indeed, the idea we need to change or be lost forever is core to the Atonement, the central part of our Heavenly Father’s plan.  Expecting a companion who doesn’t need to change isn’t just unrealistic; it stands at odds with the gospel plan.  That plan has us here in mortality with imperfections galore.  We’ll all have many flaws as we journey through this mortal life.

Elder Wilcox noted the same principles as he responded to this hypothetical question:

Too many LDS singles aren’t progressing in their dating journey because they insist on not changing, that anyone who can’t love them as they are obviously isn’t the perfect companion.  But the truly perfect companion is one who will both love you as you are today and not leave you as you are today.  The perfect marriage is the union of two imperfect people who work together to perfect each other.  They accept each other as they each are today, but they don’t accept staying that way.

Some LDS singles undoubtedly reject the idea of change because they know what change will mean.  Seeing themselves in all their imperfections, they know how much work correcting those imperfections will require.  It’s much easier to cling to the thought of a “perfect” companion than to put the hammer down and do the work which change in self requires.

Yet doing the work is the more practical approach.  No matter your approach to your dating journey, the fundamentals will always operate.  You don’t progress without the necessary agreement, and you don’t get that agreement unless you’re agreeable enough.  So progress in the dating journey often means traversing a longer road of change through hard work.

That’s how all of life is designed to be.  Elder Wilcox recognized that design when he declared,

Just as worthiness isn’t about perfection but about patience and persistence in walking the covenant path, so your dating journey isn’t about finding the perfect person but about finding the type of person who’ll walk with you as you help each other become perfect together.

If you’ve sincerely tried to walk that path yet feel beaten down by failure after failure, don’t succumb to surrender and change your destination away from eternal blessings.  When the destination is eternity, it’s always better to deal with frustration by changing your approach.

Many share impatience as an imperfection, so it’s not surprising many LDS singles want the changes they seek to happen now.  Yet often the changes we seek will not come overnight or all at once.  Elder Wilcox taught this principle as he shared the story of Damon, a young man who struggled with his own changes.  In the end, Elder Wilcox recommended,

Good enough is not flawless but is committed to positive change.  Embrace needed changes in you and others as well as the work those changes will require.  And embrace the Lord by partnering with Him for your journey.  You’ll find it easier to make progress and more support as you do.  And that will bring you more joy in your journey.

But I really wasn’t capturing the full depth of those words.  Maybe I needed some time and distance as well as some more experience with the world to appreciate what he gave all of us.  Indeed, you could say that’s one thing I’m learning.  And after the program today, perhaps we all can say it’s one among many of what we are learning.

Addressing the global pandemic, President Nelson shared four lessons he hoped we’ve all learned and won’t forget.  I sense a greater sense of optimism in his words now than I did six months ago.  That optimism increases my appreciation for his first lesson: The home is the center of faith and worship.

I think most of us recognized the prophetic nature of the 2018 announcement regarding home-centered church.  But I’m not sure that was true before COVID hit.  I certainly didn’t recognize the significance of some of my pre-COVID promptings.  For instance, shortly before the first lockdown I felt impressed to purchase white tablecloths.  What do I need white table cloths for? I thought to myself.  When am I ever going to use a white tablecloth?

I found out soon enough.  What a blessed privilege was mine to partake of bread and water in memory of my Lord and in my own home!  I truly felt closer to my Heavenly Father in those moments than I had in any worship service in a chapel.

In response to such an experience, President Nelson asked,

Considering what we need to do to increase the security and serenity of our own homes would be time well spent.

President Nelson’s second and third lessons, that we need each other and your priesthood quorum is more than just a meeting, seem especially intertwined.  We really do have a unique opportunity to leverage the present pandemic to unify God’s children like the world has never before seen.

But that will become reality only if, as President Nelson asked, our shared trial has drawn us closer to one another.  These days it seems the pandemic is driving us farther apart.  But if that’s true, it’s because we’ve forgotten the two commandments President Nelson declared could guide us — first, to love God, and second, to love our neighbor.

I especially love President Nelson’s teaching that

Flip that around, and see the profundity of the Prophet’s teaching.  Why has God sent us to earth in families and wards and stakes?  He wants us to work together and help each other.  Why has He asked us to serve and minister to each other?  He wants us to work together and help each other.  Why has He asked us to live in but not be of the world?  He wants us to work together and help each other.  One could apply that answer to this question: Why has God organized priesthood holders into quorums?  Priesthood is indeed more than a church meeting.

President Nelson’s final lesson from the pandemic ties the others together.  The home is the center of faith and worship.  We need each other.  Your priesthood quorum is more than just a meeting.  And we hear Jesus Christ better when we are still.

As I just mentioned, the pandemic seems to be driving us further apart.  We seem more agitated and contentious than ever.  President Nelson confirmed we’re living in prophesied days of commotion and fear.  He didn’t declare that commotion would be temporary.  Rather, it’ll increase.

But we need not be in commotion.  If we can be still, we can hear the Savior’s voice speaking peace and confidence to us.  As President Nelson taught,

Making time for quiet reflection will become more and more essential as the world becomes more and more contentious.  If we will do as the Prophet instructs, we will see the fulfillment of his promise that “the future is bright for God’s covenant-keeping people.”  And that will bring us more joy in our journey.

Now this isn’t the f-bomb many of you are thinking of.  This was in sacrament meeting, after all, and the speaker radiated mainstream Mormondom.  But how can you understand what I’m talking about without me being just as profane?  Since I can’t think of any other way to do it, here goes.  The f-bomb she dropped was family ward.

Yes, that phrase is profane.  Words mean things.  Language matters.  And anyone who thinks it doesn’t — that this is just some petty concern — just doesn’t understand how language works and its effect upon people.

Simply put, the language we use reflects the way we think.  It expresses culture.  And as we’ve discussed often on the broadcast, the traditional culture of the LDS community has revolved around being married with kids.  Some singles have kids, but by definition no single is married.  So using a phrase like family ward just perpetuates a culture which excludes singles.

This isn’t something that’s just in the heads of LDS singles.  Nor is it solely a product of how singles think, something that can be corrected with a change in perspective.  For those who think it is, let me tell you about the cookie jar.

Yes, I said the cookie jar.  Why do we call the cookie jar a cookie jar?  The simple truth is because it’s a jar in which we place cookies.  If you take the lid off a cookie jar, you expect cookies to be inside.  That’s why it’s called a cookie jar.  If there were peanuts inside, you’d call it a peanut jar.  If there were bolts inside, you’d call it a bolt jar.  That’s just the nature of language.  Calling a container a cookie jar is like saying that is where cookies belong.

Family ward works the same way.  It says families belong in that congregation, implying that people without full families don’t belong.  Again, this isn’t just in singles’ heads.  It’s the nature of language, which reflects how we think.  And I’ve seen that play out.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encountered marrieds who merely tolerated my presence in their ward.  Their attitude definitely said, “You can come here if you want, but you really belong over there in that singles ward.  If you do go there and get married, then you can come back and join us here in the main group.”

As I sat there in sacrament meeting, I wondered how I should approach the speaker about her f-bomb.  I didn’t really know her personally, nor did I have much opportunity to know her.  She and her husband has just moved into the ward.  As young as they are, I wanted to believe she said what she said out of ignorance.

In the end, I felt good about approaching her through an email message to her husband.  I tried to be delicate and firm at the same time, in the end offering the suggestion to replace that f-bomb with general membership ward or, if that was too much of a mouthful, shorten it to general ward.  I also expressed willingness to entertain other suggestions.

I never got a reply to the email.  But I can surmise based on comments she made in later weeks in Sunday School that she realized how insensitive she’d been and wanted to change.  And I felt satisfied with that.

If you’re still using that vile expression, please stop droppin’ f-bombs.  The language we use will reflect what we truly embrace in our thinking.  Let’s embrace a more inclusive culture within our LDS community by using language that reflects truly inclusive thinking.  When we do, we’ll grow from seeing each other more as God sees us.  We’ll benefit more from the contributions we make into each other’s lives.  And that will bring us more joy in our journey.

Looking back on my decision and its outcome, I still have no regrets.  But I also have something else, something that I didn't anticipate.  Looking back on my trip and my lack of regret for it got me thinking.  Why can't it be that way for everything in my life?  Why can't I simply decide to live without regret?

I don't regret my trip because from the start I saw it for what it is.  I don't know the future, but I know that, if that opportunity to see my mother would be the last to make memories while she could still recognize me and I didn't take it, I would regret it for the rest of my life.  I refused to live with that regret.  And so I embraced my travel with the end in mind.

And that's the key.  Stephen Covey's first habit of highly effective people is to begin with the end in mind.  That speaks to the need to be self-aware.  After all, you can't begin with the end you aren't aware of.

That's more than just an awareness you want a life without regret.  It's an awareness of the choices you can make today that promote or prevent that end.  I didn't know and still don't know whether the opportunity I just took is the last to be with my mother while she still recognizes me.  But I do know the potential it had to become such.  And I refused to tolerate that possibility.

It's really not any more complicated than that.  Gain an awareness of yourself and the potential your choices have to lead you towards or away from the end you want.  And then act accordingly.

That's not just for living life without regret.  That's for any end you want in life.  Adopting an end in which your life has no regret is just a good place to start.  It will give you courage to go farther and pursue your fullest potential, a life without regret, the life that is your best life.

The path that leads you there will of course have challenges.  I faced resistance before making my journey to see my mother.  My advisor expressed disapproval with my decision to travel home.  But I held firm and shared my rationale for my decision.  He understood, and we made plans for what would happen after my return.

I don't think everyone will have that experience.  Sometimes things won't work out.  Sometimes you'll stand your ground, and your challenges will overcome you.  But you can always hold your head high knowing you chose to live your life without regret.

I've made plenty of choices that brought regret into my life.  I've known regret in both the short and long term.  And now I know it doesn't have to be that way.  I can live without regret.

So can you.  You can live without regret if you will gain the awareness you need of yourself and your choices to know the end you want and then make those choices that will lead you to that end.  That decision won't remove the regret you already have from past choices.  Only Christ and His Atonement can do that.  But you can decide to embrace the Atonement, just as you can decide that from this moment forward you will live without regret.

So live without regret.  Life is too beautiful and time too precious.  Don't squander them with choices that will bring regret in any amount.  Know yourself, know what you want, and go after it.  And every day you don't have it, keep going after it.  Don't apologize, don't make excuses, and don't delay any longer.  Start living your life without regret today.  You'll savor the wonder of living more fully.  And that will bring you more joy in your journey.

I remember years ago hearing a speaker at a singles conference talk about living in the moment.  She encouraged intentional living, saying living with intention can lead you to own your life.  I’m a big fan of owning your life, so I was with her that far.

Then the speaker defined intentional to mean having a plan.  The joy of living in the moment, she declared, comes from following a plan.  And that’s where she lost me, because I couldn’t disagree more.

To act with intention requires a conscious choice.  Living with intention therefore means living in the moment.  When you consciously choose in the moment what you do, you refuse to let your habits simply play themselves out.  That act allows you to embrace life and all the true joy of living.

You don’t need a plan for any of that to unfold for you.  All you need is to use the one gift from God we all have — agency.  You simply make a conscious choice.

Happiness comes not from just doing the right things but from giving your all to all the right things for you.  Giving your all is a conscious choice.  When you choose that path with full awareness and intention, the true joy of being alive can be yours.

Most don’t live like that.  They live on autopilot, a life filled with comfort and a sense of stability.  But true joy isn’t found in comfort and stability alone.  True joy comes from consciously embracing the right things.

I use that word embracing intentionally.  You can’t just execute a routine of righteous activity and expect happiness to find you.  The happy life doesn’t just come to you because it’s somehow your right or because you’re somehow deserving of it just because of who you are.  To get the happy life, you have to make it.  That requires consciously choosing the right things.  That means getting out of autopilot and its routine living.  And that means embracing all the right things for you.

In the end, your focus always determines your reality.  Focusing on what you don’t have and can’t do always brings a reality of scarcity and helplessness.  And a life that feels lacking and helpless is never enjoyable.

But the same principle works in the other direction.  Focusing on what you do have and can do brings a reality of abundance and empowerment.  As you begin to see how richly the Lord has blessed you, you feel gratitude come to you.  And life starts feeling joyful.

That focus on what you have now and can do now is key to living in the moment and making the happy life you want.  Focusing on the present and not the future is a conscious choice that helps you live with intention.  And the gift of agency from a loving Heavenly Father brings that choice within reach of us all.

The happy life doesn’t find you.  You find it by making it.  And that starts when you start living with intention.  Righteous intentional choices lift what you do to a new level because in so doing you give your all to the right things.  And when you give your all to the right things, life in return gives back to you all the joy and satisfaction of a life well lived.

You’ll always get what you give, so give your all to the right things for you and get the life that’s right in all ways for you.  You can breathe with confidence, walk with boldness, and bring your focus away from the future and more to the present moment.  You’ll then open yourself to a life you can savor regardless of your circumstances.  And that will bring you more joy in your journey.

Something’s missing here.  It’s this truth: Results come only from action.  If you don’t have the results you want, you’re not taking the right action.  So instead of rationalizing your way out of doing what you need to do, learn what action you should take, and then take it.  Your time is now.

Life won’t always go as desired.  When it doesn’t, don’t just say, “Well, it must not be the Lord’s timing.”  Concluding so prematurely will keep you from the real solutions you need.

Too many LDS singles use the concept of the Lord’s timing as a crutch to excuse themselves from further involvement in their own eternal progression.  We all want to believe we can get what we want without making any changes in ourselves, that we just need to keep the standards and then the Lord will just deliver our desired companion when the time is right.  It’s an enticing  yet deceptive argument.

The universe doesn’t work that way.  To reap the harvest, you must sow the seed for that harvest.  To get a different harvest, you must sow different seed.  And you choose what seed to sow.  You can make you more attractive to your hoped for eternal companion.  Giving your all to the right things always produces the right results.

Ultimately, happiness is not about doing the right things but rather giving your all to the right things.  Without question the standards are some of those right things.  So is holding to the iron rod.

And so is eliminating habits that encourage potential companions to decide against you.  So is changing the way you think so your approach to life broadcasts an attractive rather than repulsive energy.  So is conquering your fears holding you back from achieving your potential.  So is partnering with the Lord so you can know what steps you need to take today to turn your life around and capture all the joy He wants you to have right now.

Rushing to conclude the Lord’s timing isn’t right just because you’re still single blinds you from seeing all you can do that’s right for you.  You’ll never get right results without right action.  No matter how much you’ve done, there’s always more you can do.

Results come from action and only from action.  Stop using the Lord’s timing as a crutch to justify inaction.  You don’t get results from anything but action.  Someone must act for you to get results.  That someone is you, and your time is now.

That undoubtedly irritates some of you, especially if you’ve sincerely given your all to secure your companion.  And I’m not discounting the Lord’s timetable for each of our lives.  He knows not only what’s right but when it’s right.

That’s why you need to partner with Him. When you do, you’ll know what you should do with the time you have now.  For most LDS singles, now is the time to take action to move towards eternal blessings.  It’s not just about keeping the standards.  It’s changing the way you think so you embrace a new way of being that makes you more attractive.

That’s the real secret.  Marriage is best pursued indirectly, not directly.  When you choose to make the right changes in you, you drastically increase the likelihood someone you want will want you.  Partnering with the Lord will help you know what changes are best for you to make today that will attract a brighter tomorrow.

The Lord does have a right time for each of us to receive eternal blessings.  But unless you’ve got revelation your time isn’t now, you’re choosing to be single when you use the concept of the Lord’s timing to justify your own inaction.  For most LDS singles, your time is now.  So get busy giving your all to all the right things for you.  When you do, you’ll move yourself closer to the blessings you desire.  And that will bring you more joy in your journey.

That’s why I’m making this trip despite the inconvenience.  I want to make memories while I can.  I want to make memories a priority.

With my mother’s birthday approaching, it’s the perfect time to do this.  Still, I’m not sure what to expect in this trip.  As I said, I haven’t flown in eight years.

It’s not that I don’t like travel.  It’s just most of my travels have been accessible by car.  I say most because, when I started my PhD program, I could have flown instead of driving across the country.

But had I done that, I would have missed the opportunity to visit with one of my aunts who died just last month.  As I drove across the country, I made it a point to plan my route so that I would be able to visit with her.  And I’m glad I did that, because now that she’s passed on I no longer have that opportunity to make memories with her (at least not in this life).

Now I see a similar situation with my mother.  I’m not saying she’s about to die.  I’m saying I love this sweet woman who has done so much for me over the years, and I want to take advantage of the opportunity I have now to make memories with her while I can.

That’s a good approach to take not just with loved ones but with everything in life.  When we die — and we’re all going to die — we don’t take much with us beyond our desires, our knowledge, and our relationships.  Focusing ourselves here, then, should take priority in our lives.

I’ve found it’s always good to step back every once in a while and evaluate where I am in my life.  How am I doing?  And am I going in the right direction?

If you haven’t evaluated yourself recently, then take a moment now to do so.  Just ponder on those questions I just asked for the next few minutes and reflect on your answers to them.

And if you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself wanting in multiple areas.  That’s OK.  Just determine what you need to do to improve, and then decide to do it.  If you need tools or resources to support you, then go get them and put them in place.  If you don’t know how to do anything along the way, then partner with the Lord and let Him guide you to the who and what you need when and where you need them.

Overall, your life is what you make of it.  You only get one, so what will yours be?

Too many of us take for granted the opportunity we have to make memories with the family and friends we love.  In the busyness of living our lives, it’s easy to think we’ll always have the opportunity to make memories.

But you never know when you’ll no longer have that opportunity.  Accidents happen every day.  A festering medical condition could suddenly worsen.  An act of violence could unexpectedly shorten someone’s life.  Who knows what might happen?  You may not have the time you think you do.

Don’t waste the opportunity you have to make memories while you can.  Your life is what you make of it, and you only get one.  Make your life one filled with the blessings of treasured memories with loved ones that will yield satisfaction and joy for years to come.  Make memories your priority.  You’ll then spend more of your limited time building the relationships that matter most.  And that will bring you more joy in your journey.

Yet in other respects, I feel like I’m worse, especially when compared with what I’d expect to be at this point in my life.  As I think about why I’m where I am, I realize I’m no different than anyone else.  We do what we want.

Tony Robbins once said, “Change is never a matter of ability.  It’s always a matter of motivation.”  If you really want to make a change in life, you simply make the change.  It’s never a matter of ability because, if you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way to do it.

So despite the volume of our protestations, we all do have the life we really want.  My life is where it is because that’s where I want it to be.  I see a change I think I want in my life, and I think I want it because it appears to give me something desirable.  But in reality I have the life I truly desire most, because results come only from actions, and I chose the actions that have given me the results I have.

Still, I keep returning to the question of making changes in my life because what I have truly desired does not completely satisfy.  Why then do I not make the changes that will give me that different life?  I have ability to change but not sufficient motivation.  I’m just too comfortable where I am now.

I think many of us live in this same rut.  We don’t really do what we need to do to achieve positive change because we’re far too comfortable with out present life.  Pursuing positive change opens the door to problems and challenges involving pain and confusion.  I think all of us have enough of those not to want any more.

At the same time, there’s no reward without risk.  You can’t really feel the deep joy of love without opening your heart to betrayal and loss.  You can’t lose weight without exposing yourself to pain and discomfort a new diet might bring or to the exhaustion and injury that exercise can inflict.  You can’t experience the good results from being out in the world without exposing yourself to the bad things that happen to people every single day.

Many of us sense these risks and pull away.  We want safe, sure, guaranteed.  So we stay in our comfort zones, yearning to get out but never wanting to do what will get us out.  We’re just not motivated enough.  We’re doing what we want.

So how then do you get motivated enough to change?  I think we’ll all have our own answer, but I do see one common thread that could tie all those individual answers together.  You get to a point where you won’t tolerate not having the change any longer.

You just get sick and tired of being sick and tired.  You make a decision — a real decision, one in which you cut yourself off from every possible outcome except the one you pre-determine.  You put your all into producing the actions that will produce that pre-determined result.  And to keep yourself motivated, you surround yourself with like-minded go-getters who’ll support you in going after your best life.

Not everyone will do that, but either way, we do what we want.  We have the results we have because of the action we’ve taken, and we take that action because that’s what we really want to do.  If you really want to do something different that’ll produce different results in your life, then you’ll do that.  Hitting rock bottom could be the greatest blessing ever, because there you can more easily find your motivation to do something different.  As you then decide not to tolerate anything less than your absolute best, you’ll get yourself on the path to your absolute best life.  And that will bring you more joy in your journey.