t want to do that again." Or they'll tell themselves it's just too hard to make the change, so they never try. They accept what they have and give up on their dreams. This is how dreams die - they never get off the ground.

Feeli

Almost everyone has changes they'd like to make in their lives. In fact, usually we know that we should change but we can't get ourselves to do it. We may have all the knowledge we need, but we for some reason we aren't taking the steps we know we should be taking. We are settling for less in our lives. But why? More importantly, how can we get started? How can we take the steps we know we need to take to get moving?

We've probably all had experiences like this. Once we've gotten started with an exercise routine or with new eating habits, we find it relatively easy to stay on course. The real trick is getting ourselves to make a break from our routines and begin; the first step is always the hardest one to take.

One of the most common reasons that people don't get started is fear of failure. Being afraid to fail is common. People tell themselves, "I tried that before, and I ended up not following through. I don't want to do that again." Or they'll tell themselves it's just too hard to make the change, so they never try. They accept what they have and give up on their dreams. This is how dreams die - they never get off the ground.

Feelin

ps we know we should be taking. We are settling for less in our lives. But why? More importantly, how can we get started? How can we take the steps we know we need to take to get moving?

We've probably all had experiences like this. Once we've gotten started with an exercise routine or with new eating habits, we find it relatively easy to stay on course. The real trick is getting ourselves to make a break from our routines and begin; the first step is always the hardest one to take.

One of the most common reasons that people don't get started is fear of failure. Being afraid to fail is common. People tell themselves, "I tried that before, and I ended up not following through. I don't want to do that again." Or they'll tell themselves it's just too hard to make the change, so they never try. They accept what they have and give up on their dreams. This is how dreams die - they never get off the ground.

Feeli

his. Once we've gotten started with an exercise routine or with new eating habits, we find it relatively easy to stay on course. The real trick is getting ourselves to make a break from our routines and begin; the first step is always the hardest one to take.

One of the most common reasons that people don't get started is fear of failure. Being afraid to fail is common. People tell themselves, "I tried that before, and I ended up not following through. I don't want to do that again." Or they'll tell themselves it's just too hard to make the change, so they never try. They accept what they have and give up on their dreams. This is how dreams die - they never get off the ground.

Feeli

the hardest one to take.

One of the most common reasons that people don't get started is fear of failure. Being afraid to fail is common. People tell themselves, "I tried that before, and I ended up not following through. I don't want to do that again." Or they'll tell themselves it's just too hard to make the change, so they never try. They accept what they have and give up on their dreams. This is how dreams die - they never get off the ground.

Feeli

t want to do that again." Or they'll tell themselves it's just too hard to make the change, so they never try. They accept what they have and give up on their dreams. This is how dreams die - they never get off the ground.

Feeling that you're not ready to make a change is another common thing that holds people back. A lot of people -- myself included -- have felt that way at times. But what I've found is that not being ready to change is really a question of motivation. It means you're not yet motivated enough to change.

So how can we overcome these obstacles and get ourselves going? How can we get motivated and take the first step?

First, you need to make real to yourself what the consequences of not changing are. You need to simply list -- or at least think through -- what you're giving up by not changing. You also need to understand what further damage you may be doing by not changing. Not changing has two implications -- 1) you're giving up something by not making the change now, and 2) you may be causing further damage to your life or relationships by not changing. Both of these are real.

The best way to do this is to literal