You have to want the lifestyle

You have to want the lifestyle, not just the outcomes.

If you are wondering what this is a picture of, I don't blame you lol 😅 This is my husband's first attempt at making cupcakes with our almost 3 year old daughter. Needless to say, he didn't realize there exists a special cupcake pan one uses to keep the shape round. He just used a regular cookie sheet as you can see.

What makes me laugh is the fact that he has actually washed a cupcake pan many times throughout our marriage when he's on dishes duty. But for some reason it didn't register that this is what it is used for We got a pretty good chuckle out of it though! And it will be a forever memory.

Our daughter, Arwen, still had a great time with her daddy making cake—one of her favorite things to do right now. They just didn’t turn out as pretty as usual. But they tasted good!

As I look at this picture, it makes me think of a phrase I've heard many times before. It now just hits me a little differently. I'm sure many thought leaders have said something similar, but I am going to use James Clear's words.

How does this relate to cupcakes? Well- let's think. Are we focusing so much on only getting results that we forget the amount of work that has to go into actually getting those results? The process behind success is typically private and not blasted on social media or visible to people around us.

Nobody sees the process behind making cupcakes, especially with a 3 year old. We are just seeing the results.

In life, what would happen if we tried to get a result too fast? Or didn't put in the amount of work it took to accomplish what we set out to do? Would we end up with deformed cupcakes? Our result probably wouldn't be what we hoped for or expected. It would be mediocre.

To achieve a certain outcome or result that we want—whether that be to lose weight, write a book, complete a program, or win a game— we have to put in all the behind the scenes effort that nobody sees or praises us for. Nobody knows the loneliness of practicing. Nobody sees the effort we put into trying to create a new habit, system or process. They will really only see the ultimate result.

It is easy to get jealous or envious of others when we see their successes and wonder "why not me?” I'm definitely guilty of this. The feeling like I've missed out because I'm not doing enough, or others are just luckier than I am in the opportunity boat. But I don't often see everything that went into another person's achievements. I just see their wins!

Be happy for the wins, because there was most likely years of hard work that was put into that win. We have to want the lifestyle just as much as we want the result.

The lifestyle of reading each day, or writing a book, practicing an instrument, playing a sport, completing a course, a happy and patient marriage, or building a business—the list goes on! We have to put in the work.

Moral of the story: Our daily lifestyle determines what kind of results we will achieve. The dream does not. Of course we need the vision to know what the result will look like. But our lifestyle is what makes those dreams and achievements happen. If you want your cupcakes to be round, do the work behind the scenes to achieve the goal you want. It's the ingredients, preparation, and time that gives you the finished product you want. Your successes will be a reflection of your lifestyle!

Luckily, my husband's goal wasn't to make gourmet cupcakes. His goal was to hang out with his daughter. So all the work behind the scenes, it was just for fun. But the analogy still works. 🙂 

Until next time my friends!

Erica❤️🌺