You get what you accept

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“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” ~ Denis Waitley

The quickest way to get blown out of my social media stream is to talk about politics or religion. Not because I’m not interested in other points of view. It’s because I know that people are quick to proffer their opinions, but won’t really do anything about them.

Social media has made it easy to incite anger, indignation, emotional empathy. But all that means nothing unless you are willing to take some action to affect change. And most of us won’t get off the couch.

Whatever you think about the the current state of the world, your career, your diet, your relationships, your life, the fact is this: It is the way it is because you accept it.

When was the last time you actively fought for a candidate or a cause you believed in?

When was the last time you did any serious thinking about the work situation you want, and took one step to prepare yourself to take it on?

Not happy with your weight? What did you eat for lunch? When did you last have a regular exercise program?

Woody Allen famously said, “80% of life is about showing.” Only about 3 in 10 voters determined the outcome of the last presidential election. Things change when people show up, stand up, speak up and step up.

Zig Ziglar’s maxim that, “we can get everything we want in life if we help others get everything they want,” has a corollary: “We affect change when we can convince enough other people that it’s in their best interest to support it.”

Nothing happens unless you make it happen. Standing on the sidelines complaining doesn’t get the job done. You must get in the game. As the Stephen Crane poem notes:

A man said to the universe:
“Sir, I exist!”
“However,” replied the universe,
“The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation.”

The world owes you nothing. If you don’t like your current situation. Only you can impact that situation. If you’re willing to enter the struggle it won’t be an easy road. But the road to our dreams is paved with potholes. Deal with them, keep moving and you will make progress towards the outcomes you seek.

We learn early in life that all actions have consequences. But what we often forget is this: Not taking action is also an action.. with consequences.