How many times have you heard yourself say, “I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but . . .” followed with an excuse for the bad choice you are about to make? Everybody has done this, but those who are fooling themselves keep doing it instead of learning from it and moving on.

“We are creatures of habit” is a saying that has been around for a long time. The big question is “are you a creature of good habits or bad habits?” If you are a creature of bad habits, maybe it’s time to take a look at how you have been fooling yourself by telling yourself things like “it’s not so bad” or “I could be doing worse things.” What do you really, really want in your life? Are the choices you are making helping you to reach your goals or hindering you? What would happen if you stopped trying to fool yourself and took a realistic look at the choices you are making? How would your life change?

Take a minute to think of one are area of your life in which you have been “fooling yourself”. Is it the fact that you need to take better care of your health by losing weight, exercising regularly or need to schedule a doctor’s appointment? Is it in the area of finances where you continue to overspend, “undersave” and live paycheck to paycheck? Is it in the area of relationships where you have neglected to spend time with the people who mean the most to you? What about focusing on your business? Are you setting and achieving goals to grow your business or are you just sitting back and letting whatever happens make the decision for you?

If you aren’t happy with the way things are going in your life, it’s time to stop fooling yourself! Take an honest look at what you are doing to sabotage yourself and make the change! It’s time to create the life you want! No fooling!!

This article was posted in the Coach's Corner of the ASTD Newsletter for April 2015.