You'll never change what you tolerate

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You'll never change what you tolerate. There's no getting around this simple truth. The things we tolerate become the standards by which we live, and set the tone for the way others interact with us. The reality is, if we tolerate being abused, we are going to be abused; if we tolerate team members being consistently late, they'll continue being late. If we tolerate being broke, believe me, we will spend the rest of our lives being financially dependent.

It means, therefore, that we've got to learn to lift the bar a little higher. There will be some things we can go easy on, but there's got to come a time when we draw the line; there has to be a place in our lives beyond which we tell ourselves, and those around us, we will not go. There are just some things about which we must take a zero tolerance approach if we are serious about creating a better life for ourselves and those we love.

We'll find that if we set boundaries around our time, our families, our associations, people will respect those boundaries. If we set standards for the way others communicate with us, respect, regard and honour will typify others' interactions with us. The fact is, by clearly defining the things we refuse to tolerate in our personal lives, we marshal the levers of control....we take our lives back...we increase our abilities to create change - exponentially!

The control freak I am (not such a good thing, I've learnt)...when I learnt of the magnitude of the leverage this gave me, I decided on some things I would no longer tolerate. Here are ten:

1. I will not tolerate being broke
2. I will not tolerate living outside of God's will for my life
3. I will not tolerate being overweight
4. I will not tolerate being disrespected (even as I try to respect everyone)
5. I will not tolerate a career that is unfulfilling
6. I will not tolerate living without making a difference in the lives of others
7. I will not tolerate the association of those who have no interest in personal growth
8. I will not tolerate the leadership of those who are stagnant
9. I will not tolerate a life not lived in pursuit of my dreams/my full potential
10. I will not tolerate living without generosity

Obviously, this list is personal.  There are some about which I am far more passionate than others, and those may get more attention.... and that's fine. It's my race, my pace. The bigger issue, now, is you. Where do you need to draw the line? Is this the place where you need to tell some folk to get off? What joy-stealing habits do you need to let go of? What must you NOW institute zero tolerance on? No matter how we spin it, change...significant change... can only happen when we make up our minds to take a zero tolerance approach in the areas of our lives where it matters most. Remember, you can never change what you tolerate!