"Attitude determines your Altitude." It's a famous quote used frequently in today's business world by many personal & business development gurus. As I interact with dozens of business owners on a regular basis, I continue to be amazed by the attitude of some business owners who accept that they have no control over their destiny or environment. They have "done it this way for 25 years" and therefore it must be right. Many are just simply content to stay as is, just getting by. But why?

Some of the attitude stems from self-limiting beliefs which may come from childhood due to continued negative feedback from parents, teachers or others. Others may be heavily influenced by the negative opinions their friends or peers. They end up having what we at Action call "Below the Line" behavior - Blame, Excuse, Denial. There are lots of people or things to blame, lots of excuses to be made and a whole lot of denial. For some it may be "Every since 9/11, my business has been bad." For others it may be challenges with employees, poor time management, or lack of cashflow. There are a myriad of reasons, but at some point it's time to get "Above the Line" and take Ownership, be Accountable & Responsible for their business. That means accepting change and taking action to address that change in a meaningful, positive manner.

Life success author John Kanary says, "Thousands of people are leading dull and shallow lives because they are prisoners to their self-imposed limitations. These people lead narrow, superficial, monotonous and uninteresting lives. They live with shallow and boring ideas about life and their place in it. Why do these people want to be this way? If they knew how, would they change and live more exciting and productive lives?" Good question! I believe our comfort zones really come into play here. But in business as in life, change is inevitable - growth is optional.

So do you feel like your "stuck" in a rut - sitting comfortably in your cozy, comfort zone? Are you serious about change? Then start by doing two things: First, figure out what you want to achieve - call these goals, dreams, vision, whatever - but visualize them and understand why they are important to you. Second, make a plan. Organize yourself and decide what knowledge you need to gain - then take action! Sounds simple enough - right? Wrong! Taking action is much easier said then done.

Formula for Change
Maybe this formula will help you understand what's holding you back and help you create the momentum and direction towards positive change and growth that you desire. It boils down to one simple formula we call the Formula for Change. It is D x V + FS > R or Dissatisfaction x Vision + First Steps > Resistance. Allow me to elaborate.

Many decisions in life are a result of the pain or pleasure scale. We're either moving toward pleasure or moving away from pain. In most cases, we are moving away from pain. This formula really hits at the heart of the pain and pleasure scale. We must either have enough dissatisfaction (PAIN) or enough vision (PLEASURE) - then know what the first steps are to taking action. These three elements combined must be greater than our resistance (or put another way - our comfort zone) before we will ever change. By the way, for you folks in sales (and that includes more of you than you think) - this is a great formula for achieving more sales. The more pain & pleasure you can create (giving your prospects the right steps to take action), the more likely they are to buy from you.

The question now becomes - how much dissatisfaction or vision will it take to overcome your resistance to make lasting, measurable change in your life or business? Only you can answer that question. But start today by doing something - anything - to take action in the direction you need to change. And if you can't seem to make the change yourself, then find someone who will who will help you change; someone who will hold you accountable to achieve your goals. Remember, in today's world, change is our only constant.

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