There are times when I'm not in the mood to do something. It's very likely this has happened to you also. Instead of having the motivation to do whatever it is, you just feel like "meh." 😐

For me nowadays, those "not in the mood" moments tend to be when I'm supposed to be heading to the gym. Even though I've been consistent with my workouts over the last two years (except for the times when COVID shut the gyms down, and later when COVID shut me down), there are times when I just didn't feel like getting my regular workout in.

The thoughts running through my mind during those moments usually include:

I'm not in the mood.

I don't feel like it.

I have better things to do.

I don't have the strength for it right now.

Has something like this happened to you before? It probably has. If you look closely though, you'll realize that these moods lie. And they tell such big lies.

They tell you that you don't have the strength to do something. They tell you something else is more important in that moment. They say you're just not in the mood - as if being in the mood is a prerequisite for getting anything done.

You only need to put these to the test to find out they're a bunch of lies. I've found out that when I don't listen to them, and I do the thing that I supposedly don't have the strength to do, I actually ended up getting energized.

I've also realized that most of the time, what is supposedly more important than the thing I'm not in the mood for, is usually less important. And more often than not, when I push through those moody lies and do the thing anyway, I'm thankful that I did.

Whether or not you feel like it, you just need to power through and get that thing done. Remind yourself of the reasons you chose to do that thing in the first place. Recollect the benefits coming your way after you have persevered and you got it done.

Act your way past those feelings.

In his book, Failing Forward, John C. Maxwell wrote that, "you can act your way into feeling long before you can feel your way into action." In these situations, success doesn't come to those who allow their feelings to dictate their actions.

So, what lies have you been telling yourself? Okay, let me rephrase that question since I don't want to accuse you of lying to yourself.

What lies have your moods been telling you?

Don't listen to them. They're a bunch of malarkey!

During a 7-hour road-trip back home with my wife a couple of days ago, something on the highway caught my attention.

Going westbound on Interstate-70 between St. Louis and Kansas City, I noticed the words on a large digital display on the highway. It flashed: 645 deaths on Missouri roads this year. 67% unbuckled.

As I saw those numbers, they got me thinking. 67% of 645.
That's roughly 432 people.

I'm certain some of these 432 deaths could have been prevented if those people had been wearing their seat belts.

Soon, I began to wonder why some people don't wear seat belts when in a moving vehicle. My mind strolled to a manager I had about 15 years ago. He was one of those who did not wear seat belts. I think he made him feel less macho.

I've heard so many excuses for not wearing a seat belt.

It's uncomfortable.
It doesn't fit because I'm too large.
It makes me feel restrained.
I may get stuck in a crashed car.

I chuckle at that last excuse because you're more likely to die in a crash without a seat belt. So, I would think getting stuck when in a crash should be the least of anyone's worries.

Many of these people do not deny the life-saving benefits of wearing a seat belt, but they have their reasons for not strapping themselves in. With those reasons (I think they're just excuses), they put their own lives at risk.

Same goes for anyone who knows the right things to do to live a thriving and flourishing life. They know and understand the immense benefits of changing their thinking and their behaviors. They're just not willing to do it; and they have seemingly good reasons too. With those reasons, they put their lives (and their careers, in particular) at risk.

Is that you? Are you taking such a risk?

Just imagine how much better your life and your relationships would be, if you put to practice even 10% of what you know you ought to be doing. It could be the difference between thriving and just getting by.

So, I ask you - Are you willing to do what is necessary? Don't be a casualty on life's highway just because you're unwilling to do what you know you should be doing.

Step up to the plate and act now.

Don't believe the lies

Do the necessary