Are You Suffering from the Autopilot Dilemma?

An epidemic is occurring all around you, and there is a good chance it has already found its way into your life. It begins slowly at first, nearly imperceptible. But it grows. In time it can take over your entire life. I have seen it happen too many times, and if you don't act now, it may happen to you.

It's easy to fall into the trap. Well-intentioned individuals of all ages don't mean for it to happen, but that doesn't matter. It takes much more than good intentions to steer clear of this problem. If all it took was good intentions the world would be packed with people living their dreams and accomplishing their goals. But that's not how it works, and this trap is one of the most common reasons why it has happened too often in the past, and will continue to happen in the future.

What exactly are we dealing with here? What is so deadly to the goals and hopes you have stored away in your head?

Routine.

ACTION WITHOUT PURPOSE

A very unusual experiment was conducted by John Fabre, the French naturalist, consisting of processionary caterpillars, a type of caterpillar that blindly follows the one in front of it. This explains the name processionary caterpillar. The experiment consisted of several of these caterpillars, a flowerpot filled to the rim with dirt, and pine needles.

The caterpillars formed a complete circle around the rim of the flowerpot, with the first one touching the back of the last one. The pine needles, the food of the processionary caterpillar, were placed in the center of the circle.

The caterpillars began their procession around the flowerpot, one following the other in a circle. This went on hour after hour, day after day, for an entire week. In the end, every one of the caterpillars dropped dead of starvation.

The one thing that could have saved them was only six inches away, but without purposeful thought or action, the caterpillars continued with a habitual routine that eventually proved too much to endure.

This is happening to people you know, maybe even you, although not to this degree. Get stuck doing the same old thing every single day and your goals, sitting only inches away, are as good as gone.

Plain and simple. You might think it's a little too simple, but falling into a routine can destroy your life. I have very strong beliefs about this because I have seen it happen to people close to me, as I'm sure you have as well. Good friends and family start off with bright hopes for the future, but their routine begins to take their place. 'No time, no time,' is a common excuse. After seventy years of having no time to do the things you have always wanted to do you'll end up with nothing but a good excuse in the end.

This is your life we are talking about here. It's worth taking the time to break the pattern of habit and creating the changes you wish to make. There is little more that is as important as the life you create and the good you leave behind. Recognize if you are in a routine and break free.

IT'S NOT YOUR MORNING ROUTINE

The routines I'm referring to are much deeper than a morning process of a shower and shave. I'm talking about turning off your brain and letting autopilot kick in. Doing the same things you did the day before with no plans to change the pattern any time soon.

You know the drill - wake up, shower, work, home, sleep, repeat. This is no way to live, and you know that. But it's still hard to break free once the routine has gotten hold of you. All hope is not lost. If you want to turn off the autopilot and start taking control of your life it takes only one moment to make the decision. And then everything changes.

You've heard it a thousands times, and it's a good thing, because it's true. If you keep doing what you have always done in the past you will keep getting the exact same results. People experience a partial insanity when it comes to routine. Perfectly logical creatures believe that doing the same thing again and again will get different results. That's crazy!

If you want to lose weight but continue with the same eating habits, you won't lose weight. If you want to have more energy but stay up until four and get up at six it won't happen. You have goals, just like everyone else. If you are stuck in a routine you won't accomplish them. Be honest with yourself about this one. It's the only way you'll realize the need for a change before you can enjoy improvement.

BREAK THE PATTERN!

What does it take? It takes a decision. A choice of what you really want to do with your life and the corresponding actions to make it happen. I want you to create a plan for your future and the goals you want to accomplish. If you know where you are going and how to get there you will not be disappointed in the end.

by Jason Gracia - Motivation123
Get your Free Motivation Kit filled with dozens of quick and easy motivation tips and techniques at the Motivation123 Web site. Visit http://www.Motivation123.com now!

---

How To Create A Dream

All of us have a vision of our own possibility.... Read More

Beginnings Arent As Complicated As They Seem

Beginnings are seldom as complicated as they seem. You know... Read More

Create Your Destiny - How Massive Action Can Determine Your Destiny!

We often hear that "Knowledge is Power". Is it really... Read More

Do We Have Free Will?

It is being suggested here that we have only one... Read More

If You Dont Ask You Are Rejected, 7 Steps to Overcome that Fear of Rejection

If You Don't ask then You are Already Rejected. Many... Read More

Success: 10 Easy Success Tips To Help You Achieve Your Ambitions In Life

I want to wish you good health, long life, success... Read More

Within You Lies All You Need

Within is the person we really are. Within lies our... Read More

What Would You Change?

When talking with people about their life, or their job,... Read More

7 Tips to Keep up Your New Year Resolutions

There are many people who enthusiastically make their New Year... Read More

Whatever Happened to You?

Whatever happened to all the dreams? The wants, the desires,... Read More

Christian Gladiators? Athletics as a Metaphor for the Christian Lifestyle

When Paul first arrived in Corinth in the middle of... Read More

Pushing Through Your Comfort Zone

Our greatest growth in life comes from pushing through our... Read More

Qualia and Quanta

Ah, those New Year's resolutions.I suppose that the passage of... Read More

Are You an Achiever or are You an EXCUSIOLOGIST?

It would be a fairly safe bet that if you... Read More

6 Simple Steps To Accelerating your Learning

What is Accelerated learning?Simply put, accelerated learning is the ability... Read More

Life Is About Taking

"Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow... Read More

Anchors Away!

If we want to fill our heads with the doom... Read More

Succeed Like the Super-Successful

Two undeniable traits of the super-successful are: their belief in... Read More

Motivation; 5 Steps to Get the Changes You Want

Q: I just read your column in today's' Greensboro News... Read More

Who Is Stuart Goldsmith?

'Stuart Goldsmith? Who is Stuart Goldsmith?' you may be asking.I... Read More

That First Step To Massive Success

Do you ever procrastinate? So do I!I had some work... Read More

Your Date with Destiny

Destiny. What a powerful word. And the great thing about... Read More

Miracles are Your Responsibility

Miracles are your responsibility! What does that mean? Simple...You have... Read More

Commit To Applying Lessons Learned

When growing up as a child, the concept of learning... Read More

Life Issues Pt.2 - Against All Odds

Against all odds. I think that should be the motto... Read More

Beyond Procrastination ? 8 Questions To Ask Yourself

Why am I constantly putting things off? Why don't I... Read More

Lights, Camera, Take Action

Have you ever had a great business idea?Did you focus... Read More

Motivating Yourself To Take Action Daily

Daily action towards a goal is the fastest way to... Read More

Success: Its Really Pretty Simple

From the 'What You Need to Succeed' SeriesEvery once in... Read More

Book Summary: If Life is a Game, These are the Rules

This #1 New York Times bestseller offers some useful and... Read More

Are You IFFY?

Many people say that working for themselves or working on... Read More

Finding the Easy Way

For the last hour I have been sweating over what... Read More

Don?t Let Motivation Cause You to Fail

Yesterday my teenage son Matt came home with a less... Read More