The 2% Who Transform – Here Are 10 Reasons Why.

No, I’m not talking about a milk product or a socioeconomic segment of our population. I am talking about the percentage of people in my patient population that will radically change their lifestyle in ways necessary to profoundly improve their health.

The percentage of people who are willing to completely TRANSFORM their entire life into something that is more meaningful and purposeful to them is about the same, 2% or less. Tony Robbins says that 70% of those who by his products will never use them and those are the people motivated at least enough to go to his seminars.

Why? What are the reasons for this?  You are probably familiar with many of these 10 reasons although, there may be a few you haven’t considered:

• Fear. Fear of failure mostly. I believe this to be the largest impediment to personal progress. There is no obstacle that anyone can place in front of you larger or more imposing than that of self-generated fear.
• Procrastination. This is a form of anxiety over starting or completing a task, especially new or difficult tasks. Ironically, procrastination creates more stress in the end than it alleviates.
• Lack of Focus and Clarity. These twin attributes are crucial to begin a transformative change. They supply us with orderly direction, a list of current needs and a defined audience to serve.
• Lack of self-awareness. Having this helps define priorities, provide an understanding of an individuals current status and identify areas where change is most needed in order to progress forward. Lacking this leaves you stuck.
• Improper planning. Setting goals is absolutely imperative, both little ones and big ones, short-term and long-term. Most often, people will stall out of the gate because they fail to build in some easier wins that can be obtained in the short run which provides needed momentum.
• Lack of personal responsibility. Individuals who look to blame others, including God, for their lack of success or look to others, including God, to provide them with personal success will be forever stuck in Nowhereville.
• Avoiding accountability. Accountability keeps us motivated, honest and moving forward toward our goals. Avoiding accountability is a form of self-sabotage.
• Lazy. Defined as an aversion or disinclination to work; indolent. As a practicing physician I can tell you with absolute certitude that there is no pill to fix lazy. But, this has never stopped some people from asking me for one.
• Progress is not measured, acknowledged or celebrated. All of these need attention. Are you moving forward? Yes? How do you know if you don’t measure for progress or have a means for measuring progress? Also, it is not enough just to know from whence you came. Periodically assessing how far you have come provides valuable context. No points are subtracted from success if you dance in the end zone a bit after a win. I think we are supposed to feel good about a success. Don’t you?
• Conventional Inertia. I coined this term as a substitute for “same’ol same’ol” or “stuck in a rut” descriptions of merely existing rather than living. This is the realm of the comfortably miserable, a state of intentional, low expectation stagnation. This condition is perceived as a lower risk environment in which to be but in actuality it carries the highest risk of all. Upwards of 98% of the population suffers from this condition.

Most people want to be part of the 2% but 98% will never work this list in any actionable way. Breaking free of conventional inertia and overcoming the rest of these barriers is certainly possible. People do it everyday. What it requires is broad scale TRANSFORMATIONAL thinking and action.

If you are in the 2% who have transformed your life already, you know this to be true. You have pursued your passions and overcome these barriers one-by-one. You have discovered happiness through the purposeful work of your choosing. You have stood in defiance of fear and conventional inertia and have redefined your life using your natural talents and abilities.

If you are in the 2% group, which of these barriers were most difficult for you to overcome? Are there others?

If instead you feel you are in the 98% group, the question you have to ask yourself is which of these barriers to transformation are holding you back? What actions will you take today to transform your life and join the 2%?