Changing your life is not as simple as changing your hairstyle, your shirt, or rearranging the furniture in your living room. You’re talking about years of deep-rooted habits, behaviors, and problems that are not going to change overnight.

You want to:

• rebuild your marriage 
• start your own business 
• quit an addiction 
• get your child to be more responsible 
• become debt-free 
• etc. 

Whatever it is, if the change is significant, if it’s worthwhile, then you have to realize that it will take time and effort from you. It won’t happen overnight.

Here are 3 things you need to know and do if you want to change your life:

1. Know WHAT you want to change — What are you not happy about? What do you want to see instead? When do you want to see it? Write it down in 3 sentences or less and keep reminding yourself of it. Keep it in front of you and make sure you think about it ALL THE TIME. 
2. Identify what sacrifices you have to make and MAKE THEM — There is no getting away from this part. If you want real change, you have to be prepared to pay the price for it. And this the real test of your will. I hear a lot of people say they want to change their lives, but when you look at what they’re doing, you see that they don’t really want to change. Pay the price and make the necessary sacrifices to change. To rebuild your marriage, start by changing yourself and no longer try to change your spouse. To become debt free, start cutting back on small luxuries and putting that extra money towards your debt; get a second income and work hard to pay off your debts. Want to quit an addiction? Stop buying the drug, cigarette, alcoholic drink, or whatever enables that addiction; change your phone number; drop old friends who are bad influences, etc. In short, MAKE the SACRIFICES! 
3. Realize it’s going to take time and it’s going to be a battle – and so you get yourself ready for it. You decide that you’re in it to win. Whatever it takes, as long as it takes. There will be times when you will fail miserably and disappoint yourself, God, and others. But you have to PROMISE YOURSELF that you will not stop fighting! If you get knocked down, you will get up and fight another round! Remember, you’re the only person who can defeat yourself! Giving up is to guarantee your defeat. Fighting on is giving yourself another chance to win. 

Next time you’re changing your shirt, remember that changing your life is not that easy.

Make a commitment to change; follow these 3 steps, and go for it!