Host: Is the first step really the hardest?
Gary Ryan Blair: The first step is not the hardest. The first step actually is the easiest one because all that requires is you to make a decision and just jump in. The problem that you will find out very quickly is that the second step is the hardest. Planning is the only tool that provides you with information and information comes in three varieties, if you will, it's good, it's bad and it's ugly.
Another way of looking at it is what you need to know? What you want to know and what you are afraid of hearing? The vast majority people are impulsive, so they see something that looks exciting, appetizing, interesting, and seductive in some way so they will get the game and they will jump in but they won't think for the cost to raise the investments or sacrifices and they will pay a pretty deep price. If you take the time to do planning in advance and ask yourself what do I really need to know about this situation? You do your homework. What is it that I want to know? What are the key things?
Well, most people basically play the game of as long as they satisfy my wants and they just look at the appetizing end result, the benefit of achieving the goal. They will take an impulsive step.
Here's what happens, when you get to step number two, you suddenly realize, that you know what, I probably should have been a bit more patient. I shouldn't have been so impulsive and you get to step two and you say if I knew then, what I knew now? I never would have made this decision in the first place. The reason why people have their conversation is because what they find out that step number two is all of the relevant information.
You can equate this to very simple and infomercial. What they do is they constantly tell people what they want to hear? Drink this, you'll lose weight, wear this, you'll look great, rub this on your thighs, swelling is gone in a day or week.
Well, in actuality all they are doing is you are feeding towards that selfish little motivator inside, just tell me what I want to hear. Then what happens is, once we make the investment, we realize that there is really more to this game and as a result of it, people wine up quitting, making excuses, pointing a finger, and creating an alibi for why they never fall through under commitment in the first place.