Changing Habits (Beginning to Know KARL™)

I am what I am. I am what I say I am. I am an Entrepreneur. ~ Robert T. Kiyosaki, author of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”

I don’t claim to know what your personal vision is (though I hope you share it with me). But I encourage and want to guide you through the process of defining this vision for yourself.

Only you know what you want, aspire to and dream about. Only you know what you need to set your priorities, what you can change today and what you can change over time.

Behavioral studies tell us that it takes an average of 21 to 30 days to change a habit. As you begin your change, keep in mind that it will take a little practice and time to get the results you’re looking for. Don’t give up! Once you begin, put your mind on the task at hand and simply stay the course.

Which leads us to the first part of the makeup of your friend, KARL™: Know. We’ll be looking at this concept over the next few posts.

Know

When you use a map to figure out where you’re going, you first need to know your starting point. If you are in a New York City subway station or on a pedestrian walkway with a guide to the neighborhood, you search the map for the red dot that says “You are here.” This is the same strategy you will begin with as you learn to use KARL™.

Think about where you are in your life: Where is your red dot? This doesn’t refer to the part you play for the outside world, but you in your simplest essence (here’s that ego thing again). I’m referring to the you that only you know. The sensitive, beautiful, insecure, and vulnerable you that you don’t allow most people to see.

The secret to taking stock of what is, is simple. Begin by taking a look at what you do and say. Be honest with yourself. This isn’t about getting you to admit any sort of “fatal flaw.” It’s about learning more about yourself. In order to learn more about you, you need to ask and answer many questions, and you need to do it honestly, a searching and fearless inventory. Only if you know who you are will you be able to pinpoint what you want. Don’t worry about every tiny detail; do what you can and answer what you know. The rest will come.

So – tell me. Have you ever done this kind of self-assessment before? If you did, did you ever come up with something that surprised you? If you haven’t, I’d love to know why not – just to get a sense of what might have been holding you back. It would be interesting to know – and help us both to move forward with this important process of self-acceptance.