Missing motivation and the 72-hour rule

Have you ever been motivated—super motivated—to make a major change in your life, and then fell flat when it came to actually….making the change?

Maybe you got all riled up about getting back into shape, went and joined the gym and then…never went. Maybe you set a New Years resolution to read more, and the first book is still sitting on your nightstand.  Or, maybe you’ve decided this is the year you start your own business, and yet you haven’t taken even the first step toward making that dream a reality.

It happens. In fact, it happens a lot. But the good news is that it doesn’t just happen to you—so much so that there’s a principle based on this very scenario: the 72-hour rule.

We go into the 72-hour rule (and how to overcome it) a lot more in the RECON: Global program, but the basis is this: if you are motivated to do something, and don’t take action within 72 hours of that motivation, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever do it. Whether that’s because getting re-motivated a second time around is harder or you’ve already successfully made enough excuses to avoid actually doing the thing is questionable (it’s the second), but the 72-hour is a real issue for those of us who actually want to move those mountains in our own lives.

So, without diving deep on the subject, the solution is simple: take action. When you set a goal, also determine that first step, and then take that step. So if your goal is to go back to school, go ahead and call the admissions department as your first step. Want to get a new job? Update your resume.

Whatever it is—and whatever your goal—if it’s important enough to dream about, it’s important enough to plan. Break through the 72 hour rule and stay motivated to make the changes you want to see.

Want more on this subject? Check out our post on how to get started.