Knowing that we want to make a change in our life is the first step to actually becoming a different person. However, the process of redefining who we are is not an easy prospect and there are a multitude of pitfalls that people experience when trying to make lasting changes. The biggest challenge that people face is in sticking to and committing to the decisions that they want to make. Dean Kosage is a professional life coach, entrepreneur, and CEO of Skylab Apps, a California based tech company that creates gamified social learning platforms for business. In his experience, people struggle with what he calls ‘anchoring their decisions’. Rather than committing themselves fully to becoming the person that they want to be, they make compromises and refuse to make the necessary changes to do so.
In a recent interview with the online podcast the Unmistakable Creative, Dean described the process of anchoring decisions that led to the success he has reached today. He tells the story of seeing a group of men walk into a gym, and the impact that they had on his life. He realized straight away that these men were accomplished professionals based on just their image. After speaking with them and discussing his desire to be involved in their entrepreneurial world, he shared this experience with some of his friends. Rather than supporting and affirming this experience, they were really negative about Dean’s desire to pursue his professional career and better himself. In spite of this negative feedback, Dean committed himself to this professional pursuit in as many ways as possible.
Although difficult, he recognized that these relationships he had were holding him back. He describes it like a bus ride: “Say you are on a trip to Canada, and then suddenly you realize that you want to go to Africa. You need to get off the bus and take a different one. It doesn’t mean that the people going to Canada are bad people, but you are simply heading in different directions.” This is what anchoring your decisions is all about. It is about creating the best possible environment for your success, and making the personal decision about your relationships, career, and physical environment in order to do so. “If I came into your house,” he says, “would you have to tell me who you are, or would your house speak so loud that it could tell me for you?” This simple shift in mentality is a huge part of finding success. You have to commit your life fully to the pursuit of your goals and eventually success will find you.
In a recent interview with the online podcast the Unmistakable Creative, Dean described the process of anchoring decisions that led to the success he has reached today. He tells the story of seeing a group of men walk into a gym, and the impact that they had on his life. He realized straight away that these men were accomplished professionals based on just their image. After speaking with them and discussing his desire to be involved in their entrepreneurial world, he shared this experience with some of his friends. Rather than supporting and affirming this experience, they were really negative about Dean’s desire to pursue his professional career and better himself. In spite of this negative feedback, Dean committed himself to this professional pursuit in as many ways as possible.
Although difficult, he recognized that these relationships he had were holding him back. He describes it like a bus ride: “Say you are on a trip to Canada, and then suddenly you realize that you want to go to Africa. You need to get off the bus and take a different one. It doesn’t mean that the people going to Canada are bad people, but you are simply heading in different directions.” This is what anchoring your decisions is all about. It is about creating the best possible environment for your success, and making the personal decision about your relationships, career, and physical environment in order to do so. “If I came into your house,” he says, “would you have to tell me who you are, or would your house speak so loud that it could tell me for you?” This simple shift in mentality is a huge part of finding success. You have to commit your life fully to the pursuit of your goals and eventually success will find you.