Why Less Than 10% of People Follow Through
Note: On January 31, I’m hosting a LIVE MASTERCLASS about the INNER GAME of writing a book.
I’m going to reveal all of the sneaky beliefs, fears and doubts that make people procrastinate and self sabotage.
REGISTER HERE (it’s free).
Be honest with yourself…
How many New Years resolutions have you set but never followed through with?
How many good habits have you tried but didn’t stick with? (meditation, diet, exercise, etc)
How many books or courses have you bought but never finished?
A lot, right?
I know that’s true for me.
This lack of follow through is so common.
I had the opportunity to see this, first person, as the Content Manager for Lurn.
We made courses about entrepreneurship, marketing and personal development.
200,000+ students took our courses. But guess what?
Very few completed them. And even fewer achieved their goals based on the courses.
(and it wasn’t because the courses were bad.)
Early on, I learned something interesting.
Less than 10% of people finish courses they buy.
That’s just the way it is across the board.
I’m sure it’s a similar percentage for books too.
Now, on a similar note, here are two more stats that might make your eyes widen:
83% of Americans want to write a book, but less than 1% do it.
Only 9% of Americans that make New Years resolutions complete them.
What’s the deal?
It’s NOT based on lack of information.
Even lack of time, or lack of skill level aren’t the real problem. We can all prioritize, and we can all learn new skills.
So why do so few people actually follow through with things?
The old Ronnie Coleman quote/meme gives you a hint…
But there’s a lot more to the story.
The Inner Game
The foundation of success with ANYTHING is the INNER GAME.
That’s what Yogi Berra hinted at when he said, “Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.”
If you don’t master your mindset, you’ll have trouble following through, let alone being successful, with anything.
This is what I call “inner game.”
3 Steps to Master Your Mindset
Want to address your inner game, so you can follow through and be successful with anything you put your mind to?
Here are three steps.
1) Build Awareness
Practice noticing your thoughts, emotions, words, actions, patterns, beliefs, etc.
You won’t be able to change anything if you’re not aware.
Self-awareness is the foundation of all growth and success.
2) See the Sabotage
It’s crucial to be aware of the ways you sabotage yourself.
This includes patterns like:
Procrastination
Shiny object syndrome
Inconsistency
Quitting when things get hard
Self doubt
Perfectionism
Stubbornness
Being a know-it-all
Fear of what others think
Impatience and instant gratification
Most of this is subconscious, so it can be sneaky. However, you can reveal these to yourself by noticing your actions, emotions and self-talk.
Ask yourself these questions about things you haven’t followed through with:
Why did I quit? What’s the deeper reason?
What stories did I tell myself that sabotaged me?
What beliefs would someone need in order to quit?
What fears did I have?
What emotions did I experience?
What was the point where everything went downhill? What caused it?
Be honest with yourself and have the courage to examine your journey from different perspectives.
3) Embody the Solution
The third step to master your mindset is to embody the solution.
I say embody because it’s not just thinking. You have to live it, with your whole being.
“The solution” refers to the qualities that allow you to follow through and succeed with anything you put your mind to.
Courage
Commitment
Discipline
Confidence
Open-mindedness
Growth mindset
Consistency
Persistence
Resourcefulness
Focus
Vision
Patience
Purposefulness
Those are some examples (there’s a lot more, of course).
These are the qualities that carry you through the journey from point A to point B.
People who are successful (with anything) embody these kinds of qualities. They also learn how to spot patterns of self-sabotage and stop them, while the average person lets the self-sabotage run their life.
Think about someone like Kobe Bryant (RIP). I could picture him practicing by himself, and the urge to quit early pops into his mind. He would say to himself, “I’m not the kind of person who quits early, even if no one’s watching. I hold myself to higher standards than that.”
That’s an example of how someone spots self-sabotage, then embodies a solution that serves their goals.
The Inner Game of Writing a Book
Writing a book might be the best example of inner game and follow through.
Remember, 83% of Americans want to write a book, but less than 1% do it.
How many people do you know who said they want to write a book?
How many times have you said you want to write a book?
There’s a lot of information on how to write a book out there.
I mean, even just blindly writing every day will at least get you a first draft.
So what’s the gap?
The inner game.
I’ve never heard anyone else talk about this stuff before, especially when it comes to writing books.
That’s why I’m hosting a live masterclass on the inner game of book writing on January 31.
Once you learn this, your lack of follow through will no longer be a default pattern. You will be able to choose when you start or stop something, from a place of power.
So if you want to write a book, register by clicking the image below.
Much love,
Stephen Parato
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