As the New Year moves along, how many of us have slacked off or even forgotten our New Year's resolutions? The pattern is common. We start off strong, but slow down as our willpower gives way. Many people think that willpower should be enough to get us through. Unfortunately, willpower is like the boosters of a cargo aircraft. They kick in to get the heavy aircraft up to speed quickly, but then drop off when expended. Change will occur only when we are ready. If we are not ready to do what it takes to make the change permanent, we will not make lasting change.

Change is challenging because most of us haven't learned the difference between willpower and commitment. In order to make change last, we have to be ready to make the long-term commitment. Unless we are ready, the change will be temporary at most. Old habits die hard, so in order to create life-long change, we have to be ready to accept that the change we are making isn't temporary. Willpower may be helpful in the beginning to help kick start us into action, but it won't keep us motivated or committed in the long run.

Give up trying to use willpower to help you achieve your goals. Willpower may get you started, but it is too difficult to sustain. It simply takes too much energy. To assure that you will be able to achieve your goals, you must be willing, able and, most important, ready. You must be willing to do what it takes to make your dreams come true. You must be able to do what it takes and, most importantly, you must be mentally ready to achieve the goal. If you are not ready, you will sabotage your own efforts.

Being ready equates to making the commitment it takes to see your goals through. If there is resistance of any kind, you will not be able to achieve your goal. Mentally you must be clear that this is what you want and that you are ready to go for it with all that you have. If you are holding back in any way, you will not be able to complete what you started. You alone can decide when you are ready. And you alone will know when it is time. Until you are ready, focus on other things that you are ready for and slowly prepare yourself for the bigger challenges. As you accomplish in one area, it will support you in being ready for changes in other areas.

Until you are ready, stop beating yourself up. If you aren't ready, you aren't ready. It doesn't make you a bad, a weak or a lazy person. It doesn't make you anything but unready. When you are ready to make the change permanent, you will know. Until then focus on what you are ready for.

Coach Rachelle Disbennett-Lee, PhD provides daily motivation, information and inspiration to thousands of busy self development enthusiast who want to stay focused and on track to their goals through her award winning e-zine 365 Days of Coaching. For a free report, "The Power of Daily Action - How to create more Wealth, Health and Happiness by Tapping Into the Power of Daily Action" go to http://www.365daysofcoaching.com/daily_action.htm.

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