Event + Response = Outcome

What is keeping you from accomplishing your goals? Is it time? The economy? Lack of support from others? Co-workers not doing their part? 

It's easy to blame others. But looking outside of yourself is a strategic error. The most important lesson you must understand is that you are 100 percent responsible for your life – the good and the bad. 

That's where this formula comes in:

E + R = O (Events + Responses = Outcome)

Every outcome you experience in life is the result of how you have responded to an earlier event in your life. Not happy with the results? Don't look to external factors. If you want to change the results you get in the future, you must change how you respond to events in your life.

We can all experience the same event, but the outcomes we get will be totally dependent upon our responses to the situation. So carefully choose how you respond to events – how you choose to interpret, think about and react to events.

If you want to achieve better outcomes, remember, you control your destiny!

Your personal thoughts and actions can make a difference in whether you stay stuck where you are or make real improvements to your life. Once you figure out that your response to an event is the key to unlocking desirable outcomes (E + R = O), then a few things will happen in your life:

• You live with more responsibility.

• You don’t let things happen to you; you make things happen.

• You stop making excuses and look for solutions.

• You’re more willing to try something out of your comfort zone.

• You no longer blame others for your situation.

• You accept that things will not always go smoothly.

• You stop trying to be perfect or waiting for life to be perfect.

If you find that you’re not happy with the results you’re getting, then ask yourself:

• What outcome do I want?

• What response gets me closer my outcome?

• What do I have control of in this situation?

• What’s my response to what I can’t control?

• What choices do I have?

• What changes can I make?

Practice this exercise over the next two weeks. Share your results with me!