Throughout the last couple of years, I’ve gotten a similar question asked in different ways over and over again: “How do you stay so positive/stay so motivated/always see the good in people/not crumble under the pressure when life gets challenging?

Well, I’m not always like that, but I’m certainly closer to where I’d like to be more often that I used to be. I don’t believe anyone acts one way all of the time. We’re all going through this human experience, and we each grow and mature along our journey. The answer to these people’s questions is simple: I work out.

Talk to any professional athlete, musician, or anyone who excels at their craft, and ask them how they became as skilled as they are. They practice each and every day. They learn and grow from their failures. Simple as that. Think about it. If you want to consistently build a lot muscle, but you only want to exercise once a week, what kind of results can you actually expect? I train my mind like an Olympic athlete trains their body. Day in and day out, I never miss a day. I’ve conditioned my mind for success, for optimism, to have perspective, and to not let anything in that I don’t allow, and you can too.

The first step is taking responsibility for your life. There’s no way around this truth. Everybody wants a better life for themselves, but few people are willing to truly put in the work. What are your rituals? What are the little things that you do each and every day that make your life the way that it is?

Here are some habits that I’ve adopted on an almost daily basis that have taken my life to new heights:

I read something uplifting, inspiring, or educational every day.

I listen to inspirational and motivational audios and videos every day.

I meditate every day.

I exercise

I eat a healthy diet in alignment with my health goals

I keep my focus in the present moment

I constantly strive to be better than I was yesterday

I give 100% in everything that I do because it’s a reflection of me.

Are you seeing the pattern here? Consistency is crucial to success. My mind is at peace. The ‘monkey chatter,’ that voice that virtually all of us have going on in our mind that usually is negative and self-defeating, is quiet the vast majority of the time. I think about the things I need to do to advance my life in the direction I desire and I execute. Procrastination is a thing of the past. I have a burning desire in my heart to be successful, to help as many people as I can, and to make my dreams a reality. This burning desire propels me forward and gets me through the hard times. These are all commitments I’ve made to myself. What commitments have you made? What commitments will you make? Your life is the way that it is now because of your commitments or your lack of commitments.

Now understand, was I always this way? Of course not. These past fifteen years I’ve grown in ways I could have never imagined. I want you to realize that you have the power to feel however you want to feel, whenever you want to feel it. You can do whatever you set your mind to, but first you need to set yourself up for success.

You need to work on your mind. This is the key. It’s the most important thing you can do for yourself. Stop making excuses. Realize that if you don’t change, your life won’t change. You’re talking about all the negative things in your life, and yet you’re not doing anything about it to change them. And then you wonder why things aren’t getting better. You want the truth? I’m not here to sugar coat anything. I’m here to get you the results you’re after; I’m here to serve you, not to please you.

The truth is YOU are the reason you’re not as successful as you want to be. You. Nobody else. The sooner you realize that and accept it, the sooner you can take massive action and step into the next chapter of your life.

As I share with my coaching clients and to audiences at my live events, you are the greatest problem you will ever have, and you’re also the greatest solution. You just need to find out how to get out of your own way.

You’re the star and the director of your own movie. You wrote the script. If you don’t like what you’ve produced, rewrite the script. It’s really that simple. Excuses sound best to the people that are making them up.

You’ve convinced yourself that nothing’s going to change, so nothing will change. Change your mind and it’ll change your life. Everything about your life is so negative, and yet you’re expecting to produce positive results. Take a step back and really analyze your life.

What type of people are you hanging out with? What type of music, media, and television are you consuming? Are they sending you messages that are supportive, promoting personal-development, peace of mind and understanding, optimism, etc? What books are you reading? Who are you reaching out to to expand your network? What actions are you taking on a daily basis to make your dreams come true? If you’re feeling stuck, like your life isn’t moving, take that as a sign that it’s time to reevaluate your life. Get clear on what it is that you want, begin taking consistent action towards your desired present, which will lead to your desired future. Some of this may not be comfortable to hear, and if you let it in and act on it, then your life’s about to go to the next level. You have complete control over your life. We all have problems, but it’s how you deal with those problems that determine who you’ll become. Some of the most oppressed people on the planet, people who seem to have every reason to complain and quit, push forward and make massive successes out of themselves. If they can do it, you can to. Make your decision today, not an excuse!

All my love, 

Your Coach – Dr. Jamil