My life is ever-changing. Between CarbonCopyPRO, people approaching me with new ideas, and my other interests, I am always on the go. This month, however, has seemed a bit overboard. I have moved my family to another country, set up new bank accounts, applied for work permits, and put my daughter into a new school. In addition that we have two L1 events for CarbonCopyPRO and are scheduled to have 1500 people at our marketing event in November. Yes, I am busy. As I started to feel my shoulders tightening and my chest getting taught I took a moment to step back and reflect. There have been a few key times in my life where I have felt things were tougher than they needed to be. These times all revolved around massive changes in my life.

I think the average human retracts in these situations. I see it all the time. One setback after another occurs and the reason that initially motivated the change takes a back seat to the current stress level. This is what is known as the “elastic band effect”. If you have never heard of the elastic band effect then let me explain. Human beings are creatures of habit, both mentally and physically. When we try to create change we have to unseat all the established routines in our life. We also have to rewire our brain to do something different. As we begin to stretch the elastic band further and further it gets tighter and tighter. At the time where the most change is occurring the tension of the elastic band becomes almost unbearable. This can manifest itself it many different setbacks in your life. At the tightest point, most people allow the elastic band to pull them back into there old habits. Back to there “comfort zone”.

I have chosen the other path.

When that elastic band gets tightest and times get toughest I choose to be even more committed to the result.  I refuse to lose. Some people call this stubborn or egomaniacal. I call it greatness. This is the tipping point of what separates the best from the rest. That ability to endure pain that one extra minute, hour, or day. Eventually that elastic has no choice but to snap. When that happens, you experience a euphoria like no other. You realize your own strength and what you can truly accomplish. When I see it happen for members of our community it is my moment of pure joy. It is that “a ha” moment.

And then I tell them to begin the stretch again.