If you’re like me you spend a lot of time thinking about the various projects or habits you wish you adopt. For example, you may want to to take your blog to A-list level. Or you may want to lose a few extra pounds so you can proudly wear that swimsuit you just bought.
In a world of endless opportunity it’s easy to get caught up in all the goals we want to reach and tasks we want to complete. Here at PluginID I’ve talked about the importance of wanting it, and assuming you want it, the rest lies in a simple question: Are you serious?
Getting Serious
If you really want to make your goals a reality you must become serious about your endeavor. It’s one thing to say you want a certain outcome, it’s another to actually make it happen. Getting serious requires for you to step up your game. It means showing up even when it rains. The question is can you rise when you fall?
Getting serious can be frightening because it means rising to the occasion day in and day out. That’s why it’s important to be picky when you decide what project or goals to take on. Your heart has to be in it to the end or you’re likely to fail.
If you’re serious about taking your blog to the next level for example, that means the days of inconsistency are over, that means those days of writing a half ass post are gone. You’re gonna have to be at your best.
If you want to lose weight you can’t keep eating the foods that will keep you heavy. Obviously there are other variables involved when losing weight but if you exercise and eat properly it can have a significant impact on your over all well being.
If you’re serious about making your relationships better, you can’t keep putting other things first. Instead you must make communication a high priority.
Making It Happen
There’s potential and then there are results. Results aren’t everything of course, but the sad truth is, many of us live in the world of potential. By making a simple commitment you can make many of your dreams a reality. A half ass effort results in a half ass return.
So many people claim they want a certain outcome when in fact they continue to take the situation half-heartedly. If want something in life make the decision to get serious. You’ll thank yourself later. 
Have you decided to get serious? Where are your results to show?
Note: If you’re serious about taking your online projects to the next level, you may consider purchasing our affiliate marketing ebook , Cloud Living to get started in affiliate marketing or take that game to the next level.
People crave security and the known. Getting serious puts these at risk – “What happens if I get serious and I don’t get the result I was expecting?” This is ironic since committing and getting serious (and it does really matter the area) is an important ability to develop. I’ve started three schools (one in India) for under-served children and recently left a six-figure position to “follow my bliss.” It hasn’t been easy in any of these endeavors. It helps that I take my work and the people I serve seriously, but myself, not so much.
You’re so right, Bud.
So many people give half-hearted attempts at changing things in their lives and wonder why they failed. Sometimes it’s not the diet, it’s you. Sometimes it’s not the job, it’s you.
Taking personal responsibility for every action (and inaction) in your life is so key. Being serious about something means to be really serious and have no fallback plan – nothing will stand in your way. There is no failure when you take this approach because regardless of the consequences, you would have tried your best and done everything you could to reach your goal.
Great advice,
Karen
Hi Bud.
I sure am serious in certain aspects and those are where I am able to smoothly progress. In the areas where I am not serious, results have faltered and I obviously am not glad with the results, but that is only because I haven’t been focused in those categories.
Your point about showing up when it rains makes sense. The rain could represent a day that includes a bad occurrence, or one where the routine was altered, or having a distraction in place, or so on. If we are not ready to battle during the rain, it will wash us and our hopes away.
Hi Bud,
In my experience, it is easy to get passionate and enthusiatic about a project, but once a barrier arises enthusiasm is a little more difficult to maintain. Sometimes I must reflect on a goal or project until I feel totally obsorbed and am certain the idea is worth pursuing. There are so many things I want to do, it’s important to prioritize and put some projects on the waiting list. Progress will not be made by waffling from goal to goal and never fully commiting to one. I think the first step is figuring out what we want. How did you find your direction so early in life? I admire that.
Yes, Bud. It takes being bold to get serious about what we are up to. Being bold requires having the courage to mentally step beyond what our thought-habits offer. We took up residency on this planet with a deep driving desire to experience our creative nature… many people suppress this with a “half-ass” approach to life. Life only pays off on your terms when you let it know, in no uncertain terms, what you intend.
Damn man. Props. Hope your endeavors turn out well.
We need to skype man.
@Joe I’m still looking man.
Not sure why the comments aren’t commenting below the correct person: This comment was directed toward @armen
Directed toward @hans
Hey Bud!
I totally dig this post. I feel that the one thing that the idea of “getting serious,” by itself is dangerous though. When you get too serious, you forget to live in the moment and enjoy what you have. I definitely feel that there needs to be a balance between your “serious pursuits,” and down time or fun time.
That being said, I definitely don’t support people doing that which they are not passionate about. Even when it is to, “Make ends meet,” or a temporary stop gap, it is hard to support. It sucks the soul out of someone if they do it for too long. I think that the benefit of being serious about your passions is that you can find a place in your life that is both soulfully fulfilling and monetarily or systemically rewarding.
Cheers!
J
I have a saying when it’s time to get real serious: “Burn The Boats.” Don’t give yourself a way out or an escape route. If you want it badly enough, make it happen and don’t step back.
The post has got me thinking for the last day.
I think being serious about something has almost become seen as a negative. It gets packaged in with stress and being boring (if someone is serious about something you’ve no interest in). It gets drilled into that life is about having fun and that you shouldn’t”don’t take things too seriously”.
I must admit I try not to take things too seriously because I associate it with pain and failure. The last thing I took really seriously ended up being a tipping point into a period of acute mental illness (pyschosis/mania) so I associate being serious with that.
This post has got me thinking though that being serious is not a bad thing – i.e. you get more serious about having fun.
I think being serious about something could be seen as associated with how much you value that thing. I take being a father seriously because I love my son but I don’t take my health (finacial and physical) seriously enough because I obviosuly don’t value them enough. I say how important health is but I can’t be if I still eat rubbish, not exercise and pile on weight?
I am going to take things more seriously.
Thanks
absolutely right Bud
its today or never
thanks for the inspiring post
If were not serious about our success, who will? It about making the decision to take things to the next level. Not only in financial terms but in any aspect of our lives. Its the only way to go, i believe.
Nice post Bud. Keep on keeping on. Best believe the book is in the works and will raise a lot of eye brows your way also.
Bud,
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head by saying,
“There’s potential and then there are results. Results aren’t everything of course, but the sad truth is, many of us live in the world of potential. By making a simple commitment you can make many of your dreams a reality. A half ass effort results in a half ass return.”
Thanks Bud, if we really want to achieve something, then we must do whatever it takes to get it, we have to be serious, have passion, and be disciplined. Thanks for sharing
This is a totally awesome post. My favorite line: “A half ass effort results in a half ass return.” I couldn’t have said it better. Excellent!
Thanks for sharing! and thanks for your email!
Totally know the feeling – I’ve had to ask myself that soo many times but thankfully after a while you find your groove and get serious about a few very important projects vs. spreading yourself too thin. I made that mistake and now that i’m lasered focus it is so much easier to be that much more serious!
The work you’re doing Maren is inspiring.
Word up homie
man, such a funny thing to think about. I used to really think that being serious was the most important thing: want something bad enough and be serious and poof, naked french virgins and cars will materialize.
But here’s the problem: life isn’t serious. And wanting something to that extent means that you’re already open to the possibility of not getting it. being serious is an effort. life is effortless. being serious locks one outcome in place while wanting something – putting the intention out there and then letting go – allows infinite possible resolutions to what you want. Being serious is a belief, but knowing is far superior.
Life is playful, not serious. Sure, focusing on something and being diligent is all well and good, but seriousness just smacks of limitation and ego to me. It feels like serious is a WAY of doing things – an attitude. You can still be focused and make things happen and hustle hard without having a stern deep-fried world view of seriousness.
To quote the joker from Batman: The Dark Night, “Whhhhhyyyy sooooooh seeeeeeriousssss?”
Ah, that’s the million dollar question isn’t it Bud?
One of the things which gets you really serious is connecting with someone who actually wants to be as serious as you. The team mentality gets the assertiveness going on and also puts you on the spot to challenge yourself.
I’ve been serious about many things in the past but alone it just makes it seem like an obsession. In order to not get so narcissitic about it, connecting with a network or other fellow mate really brings it on and make it happen.
funny how there’s a direct correlation between the raw interactivity of this site and its fading success.
funny that
Thanks for the comment Alex.