And the Success Principles Challenge starts with chapter 1.

“If you apply all the principles and techniques covered in this book you will achieve your goals. You will realize your dreams. But it won’t happen over night.” This is how Jack Canfield opens his book. I’m far too aware that things don’t happen over night, but I’m ready to stop struggling. I’m tired of living in lack.

It’s the beginning of March.  I love the feeling of opening a new book and of starting a new challenge. I love this feeling of possibility.

Chapter 1: Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life

“Do more of what is working. Do less of what’s not, and try on new behaviours to see if they produce better results.”

There were a few key principles from chapter 1 that really resonated with me. This was one of them.

I’ve started getting brutally honest with myself. What’s working and what’s not?

There are a few broken gears in my life. I’m in breakdown mode. I sobbed at my reflection in the mirror this morning. It only lasted a second, but it still happened.

When I woke up, the stress hit me immediately. I felt drained without having actually done anything yet. I ate my eggs while doing my hair and then ran out the door to meet my mentor to discuss first something I had written for her, and then to discuss my life.

I’ve suffered (bit of melodrama for you) a recent cut in income. I’m waiting for backlogged money to come in, and as I wait my debt increases. “Let the money go, and focus on the new” said my roommate. I know I should take her advice, but it’s hard to let go.

Something is broken. I’m producing content, but I’m not producing cash. Monday I worked a 16 hour day. I remember sitting in Bean Around the World at 1AM, and writing in my journal “I am happy.” Yeah, bet you didn’t expect that, but I was. I was actually ridiculously happy. I was transcribing a fantastic interview for Creative Life, and I couldn’t wait to share it.

But then the next day I tried to keep up that same pace and I could feel myself starting to get sick. Did that mean that feeling I experienced wasn’t actually happiness? I felt happy doing my work, but then also scared when I acknowledged that I was spinning my wheels in a lot of ways.

I really haven’t changed the way I do things since arriving in Vancouver.

I know I shouldn’t be so hard on myself… but maybe I need to be. I’ve had a lot of success, but there are some key areas where I am consistently failing that maybe I really need to look at.

What’s not working?

Broken Gear 1: I lug a GIANT bag around with me everywhere I go.

“Make sure you switch shoulders throughout the day” said a concerned yoga instructor as she handed me my bag as I left the yoga studio. I smiled and said I would. I didn’t.

I have an enormous amount of neck and shoulder tension. My giant bag is probably part of the problem. My rationale is that I’m not going to be home until the night, so I need to bring a lot with me. Maybe that logic is faulty.

Broken Gear 2: I spend all my time at coffee shops

I’ve done this for the last 2.5 years. “Maybe this is my bias, but I don’t think an award-winning novel was written from a coffee shop,” said my mentor. She said this MONTHS ago. I didn’t hear her. Maybe this working from coffee shops thing doesn’t actually work as well as I’ve always thought I did. When I consider the amount of time I take commuting, searching for an internet plug, getting caught up in conversations with strangers (which I actually love), and having annoying internet issues… I actually probably lose a lot of time.

Not to mention the enormous amount of money I spend on coffee and the occasional peanut butter or granola bar.

Broken Gear 3: I spend what I earn

As my income goes up, my spending goes up. I don’t think I’m alone in this. And it’s not like I’m making extravagant purchases. I spend money on things like classes, counselling, and massages. I make $300 extra dollars, I put it on debt. The result: I’m always just getting by. No matter what I’m earning, the feeling of ‘lack’ follows me.

Money is a bit of a strange issue for me. I feel entitled to earn a lot because I work so hard… but I don’t actually ask for the amount I feel entitled too. Actually, I feel uncomfortable asking for money. It’s a complete contradiction.

I also think I need SO much, but do I really? If I started working from home, I’d probably save somewhere in the vicinity of $90-$100 a month. That’s significant. If I worked from home more, I’d also be less tempted to eat out.

I could use all that money for fun. 3 months of working from home, and I could go on a weekend adventure with that $300.

I keep hearing the advice ‘pay yourself first.’ My ex always used to put 10% of everything he made into savings. He kept encouraging me to do the same, and I never did. Maybe I need to start.

Broken Gear 4: No matter how much I have to do, I fill my day.

This one’s a problem. There were a couple of days last week, where I really didn’t have much to do, and I fell into a depression. I moped around the living room. When I don’t have an enormous amount to do, I panic.

About a month ago I realized that the weekly planner I was using gave me license to fill my days with busy work. I changed that, and it’s gotten better, but I still notice that I feel compelled to write things like “finish book” on my to-do list. I’ll always do that task first, and then feel rushed to do the things I should have started with. I guess it all relates to a decision to start treating myself as a professional.

A professional doesn’t just work all the time. A professional takes breaks. A professional plays.

What is working?

Creative Life is working. I’m getting the opportunity to sit down with fantastic people for interviews. Normally I would have to pay for these people’s time, but through Creative Life I’m getting amazing career and life advice for free. Better than that! I have the opportunity to share what I’m learning with my subscribers!

What else is working? My health is good, I’ve got a fantastic network of friends and supports, I’m actually getting paid as a writer, and I’m getting opportunities to act.

I had a pretty significant moment in acting class recently. I got assigned a scene from Othello. My scene partner wasn’t going to be in class for that day, so my teacher asked me to work on a monologue from the play.

I remember being on stage in front of my classmates. All of the vocal work, hours spent training and working on my craft came full circle and I realized (maybe for the first time) that I felt confident in my abilities. I was a professional. I knew what I was doing. I had a solid handle on my craft and my instrument.

It all adds up. Those gears definitely need to be fixed, but I also think I’m better off than I think I am. I think the changes that I need to make are easy. I don’t think it will be hard to make these changes, and I think the results of these changes will be huge. I think this usually is the case.

The biggest obstacle I will have to overcome is fear. It may not be working, but doing things differently is still scary. I think it’s okay for life to be a little scary.

“The only starting point that works is reality.” – Jack Canfield.

Your Turn to Take Action

What’s broken in your life?

I challenge you to get brutally honest with yourself. What behaviour have you been doing over and over again… and it’s not really working? What’s the giant bag in your life?

Share one of your broken gears in the comments below so that we can learn together!