How Highly Successful Use W.I.N. Formula To Keep Going Even When It Sucks
I don’t want to do it today.
It don’t feel like doing it any more now.
Can’t I skip this today and start this tomorrow when I am in fresh state of mind?
It really sucks.
Can’t do it now.
Most of us hear these inner dialogues often in our heads, when it’s getting tough.
Why does it happen?
It is basic human psychology that every human being wants to (1) seek pleasure and (2) Avoid pain. All our actions are governed by this principle only.
But there are exceptional people who seem to embody the below principle:
“When going gets tough, the tough get going” ~ Proverb
Those limited few people, keep moving forward despite the difficult time. They keep moving even if they don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. They keep marching head towards their summit despite chilly strong winds pushing them behind.
They don’t move their attention away from their goal, because they know the principle, as Henry Ford rightly said once:
“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” — Henry Ford
But most often obstacles are not from outside; rather they are demons sitting inside our mind — that also keep us pulling back from what is important for us.
So the question arises:
How tough ones keep moving forward even when it feels like it sucks?
Answer is: The W.I.N. Formula
It stands for: What’s Important Now
This acronym was used by Bob Bowman, coach to the legend Michael Phelps, an American swimmer and one of the most prized Olympic athletes in the History.
In the Book No Limits- The Will To Succeed authored by Michael Phelps with Alan Abrahamson, Coach Bob Bowman explains what separates Michael from all other swimmers.
Bowman states that if other swimmers don’t feel good, they don’t swim good. But this was not the case with the Phelps. He performs regardless of whatever he feels about at any time.
Above traits of Phelps show that high performers don’t let their feelings govern their actions.
If something is to be done as a priority, then they perform at their best, despite whatever they feel about that activity. Their feeling is not important at any point of time; rather the action towards their goal is their topmost priority.
Similarly, author Eric Greitens, in his book Resilience states that he is least interested in what how you feel and more interested in who you want to be.
His success principle is that it is your identity that should drive your action, and not your feelings.
His formula is: Identity > Action > Feelings
He recommends that Whenever next time you are in a state of dilemma, ask yourself, ‘Who I want to become?’
The answer to that question will guide you to the right action to be taken. The action that is important to you — the action that will be defining your win. But the good part is that once you take action and move ahead, you start to feel better.
Therefore, don’t go by your feelings to decide you next action step –they will simply leave you in lurch. You are in a good mood one day, you work your butt off; but next day, if you don’t feel better, you just spoil your day.
Therefore taking action based on feeling is not a sustainable way of operating your life. Rather taking based on What’s Important Now is the way to keep winning your day.
So ask yourself when your emotions drag your feet back…
What’s Important Now!
And keep taking action..
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