I've come to realize..

That some people are a lost cause. I have friends who, lately, have been talking about wanting to change their ways. Whether it be because they have a child on the way, or just need to stop behaving the way they do, they just can't seem to do it. They will talk a big game, but fold when it comes to the action.

"I'm ready to change. I NEED to change," they'll say. "No more drinks for me. I can't get high anymore. Don't have the money, and haven't been feeling well lately." Followed by, "but if you want to come smoke me out, that's straight." Or, "come buy your boy a drink down at (name a bar/club) tonight."


That sort of talk is not going to help you with cleaning up your act. Why would say you need to stop doing something, then invite people to do these things with you? You're not going to stop, even eventually, if you keep inviting people to partake with you. If you need to stop smoking, because you're broke, or you don't have a job and you need to pass a drug test, it's not gonna work if you say "come to my crib and blaze one with me." It's just not going to work.


I have tried to tell different people this. I tried to let them know that yes, you're going to have to make sacrifices. But the sacrifices are for the better. You're not going to be getting high. But you'll feel better. You'll be more efficient. You'll even think clearer. I know it's hard to believe, but you can do it. You can break this routine that you've developed. You're not going to want to, as you have become so used to it, that it's now second nature. But you HAVE to. You, in yourself, have to find the will power it takes to succeed. I am talking about personal excellence. Some people have it in them to excel and still be able to do these things, getting high, or drunk constantly. Most people do not. Most people need 100% devotion from themselves to reach their full potential.


It's not only about drugs or alcohol, either. Take a day and think about how you treat the people around you, or people in general. Are you a person that people want to be around? Are you a person that someone feels can share a worth while conversation? Are you someone that can make someone think with one sentence? Can you bring out the best in someone besides yourself? If not, then why not? What are you going to do in order to change that? What are you willing to do to change that? Are you willing to change yourself?


I'm not necessarily talking about a good job, or maintaining a friendship, or relationship. Those are included. In general, what kind of person are you? Are you what you always thought you would be? Chances are no. Percentages say no. Have you become someone you respect. Are you proud of yourself. Not


What goals have you set for yourself? For you? What do YOU want to do, and what are you doing to make it happen?

You can be successful in business and be a complete failure. Success does not equal happiness. It damn sure helps, but it isn't the only key. You don't NEED money to be happy. There is no doubt that does wonders to your self esteem for a while. But what are you doing with that money? Are you just paying your bills and getting by? Are you stuffing it all away in bank? Are you investing for your future? Has your future come sooner than expected? These are only a couple things to keep in mind every day.


Write down your goals. Seriously. Write them down, and put them in a place that you'll look at them every single day. On your bathroom mirror, a sticky note that you attach to your computer screen, the background on your cell phone, wherever it is that you look every single day. Seeing your goals in writing will make you hold yourself more accountable if you don't reach them. It will make you feel better when you look at your list, and realize they're no longer goals. You're now looking at a list of accomplishments.


But I'll finish with bringing it back to the original point I was trying to make before I got sidetracked. Some people just don't get it. They will. The timing might not be right. Maybe they need to wait until it's too late to make a significant change and realize they should have been trying to whole time. Words are worth their weight. You can talk all day, but what you do to back those words up make them mean something. Don't say you're going to do this, or not do that. Just do it, or stop doing it. Then you won't have to tell me, "Man I need to stop doing this. I need to start doing this." Because if you're talking like that, chances are you're too far gone for it to really matter.