It’s overwhelming to imagine the problems you find are yours to solve.

I approached my pastor at our old church and said his sermons were intriguing. However, no one else could benefit from them because they aren’t recorded. Feeling brave, I bluntly told him the audio from the sermons needed to be recorded and published every week as an online podcast.

He agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

I’m sure you have found plenty of problems over the years. They’re easy to spot and complain about.

But then what? Do you expect someone else to drop what they’re doing and fix something that’s bothering you? This is highly unlikely, and it is silly to expect.

In a stroke of great leadership, the pastor put the problem right back on my shoulders.

“You’re absolutely right. And you are in charge of making it happen,” he said confidently while patting me on the back, right before he walked away.

I found the problem. I was annoyed by it. I even pointed out the problem to others. But there was no one to jump up and solve it.

So I did.

It is your duty — no, privilege — to take ownership of the problems you find. Don’t push it on the next guy.

Step up, own the problem, and solve it. Even if only for your sake (at first)!

We need you to clear the way, simply because you see it needs to be done.

I researched the process. I created a podcast in iTunes and set up an RSS feed. I found a decent way to record the sermon audio. It was a ton of work at first, but gradually I improved the process to require much less time and hassle.

Eventually, people all over the world started listening each week.

The benefit to solving problems is initially your own. It is a phenomenal feeling of accomplishment and purpose.

But in the end, the problems you find and solve are a service to those who follow.

I am entirely smitten with the Tesla Model S, the revolutionary electric car. I’ve always had a fiery passion for vehicles, and I’m undeniably excited about owning an excellent specimen one day.

But I’m not going to buy a Model S.

I’ve memorized the vehicle details and specifications. I’m quite familiar with the model lines and options offered.

I went to a Tesla showroom and drooled over one with my wife and newborn. I touched the handles to make them pop out of the door. I browsed all of the menus available through the extravagant touch-screen display. I examined a naked chassis on display and gawked over its design.

Did you know you the Model S seats seven people?

You can add two rear-facing seats for children. Amazing stuff! Now you can have five children and not own a minivan. Imagine transporting the entire family in a sports car!

I’ve researched Elon Musk, the founder and entrepreneur behind Tesla Motors. I’ve watched the documentaries about him and Tesla Motors.

Heck, I’ve even selected vehicle options on the website and received a quote for my dream Model S. (It has nearly every option available and costs roughly $129,000.)

So after hearing me share my passionate enthusiasm for the Tesla Model S, my coworker asked if I am going to go out and buy a brand new one now.

Well, no.

No, no, and a dozen times NO!

Why not? I’m obviously pumped up about it! Even wife likes it.

Several reasons.

First, we choose not to afford a Model S right now.

I say “choose” because by culture’s standards, we could possibly “afford” to make monthly payments. But really, a car payment would murder our monthly budget. More importantly, there are many other ways I prefer to use money right now, such as retirement and saving up money for our business.

Second, our values take us far away from debt of any kind.

We worked hard to pay off every cent of loans, and I have no desire to go back into debt. Plus, we enjoy the anticipation of buying a snazzy car one day… in cash! How great would that be — a phenomenal car without any payments? (I hear cars drive better when you’re not dragging around a car note.)

Third, it’s not part of the plan.

I refuse to let desires dictate priorities. I realize this is absurdly counter-cultural, but it is an exercise in intentional self-discipline Team Ralon practices daily. As a hero says, “Children do what feels good. Adults devise a plan and follow it.”

I’m still a car nut. A gearhead. I still breathe horsepower and live for curvy mountain roads. And I’ll still own one of the cars I’ve dreamed of one day.

Just not yet.

We all have ridiculous, frustrating quirks. Things we do which annoy ourselves. But there is hope.

I am a firm believer we have to learn our quirks — and then trick ourselves — in order to be productive long-term.

One huge way we can trick ourselves is by making hard decisions at a time when they are easy.

Here are some examples of hard decisions made easy.

If you want to not eat so much candy, you could try to resist your urges while staring intently at a bowl of treats…

Or, you could avoid ever buying bags of candy in the store by skipping that aisle since it’s not on your list and you need to spend that money elsewhere.

If you want to give to your church, you could see if there is any money left at the end of your paycheck…

Or, you could set up automatic payments through your bank or e-giving.

If you want to avoid looking at pornography, you could battle temptation late at night and hope your discipline prevails…

Or, you could set up an ad-blocker and set up an internet filtering service when you are not tempted.

These types of decisions are the same no matter when or how they are made.

And they can be made the easy way or the hard way.

Your choice.

Certain times and circumstances make hard decisions very easy to make, so use them to your advantage!

And be active, too. Anything you do passively is probably not worth doing.

No one accidentally does important things. You’re not going to do anything significant with your life unless you are active and intentional about it.

We waste our lives going wherever the wind blows us — a great recipe for feeling unfilled and jaded. There has to be a better way to find your purpose and make a mark on this world.

Instead of being passive, let’s be proactive and intentional about our decisions and actions. Starting right here, right now, with items like the following:

• Marrying someone (or not)
• Changing jobs or careers (or not)
• Having children (or not)
• Moving to a new area (or not)

These make sense, right? You don’t want to randomly decide to marry someone or become a doctor. These decisions deserve some thought and planning because of the commitment involved.

But what about these:

• Learning a trade or skill or instrument
• Dropping out of college
• Buying vehicles
• Friends and relationships
• Starting a business (or not)
• Spending money / budgeting
• Using social media (or not)

Don’t just do these things because you’re bored. HAVE A DECENT REASON!

Did you notice several items have an “or not” after them? That’s because they should not be a “default.” If you’re not planning to be a dedicated, learning spouse, then please do not get married. Unless you’re determined to be a good parent, please do not have children. Unless you have a good reason for moving somewhere, then what is the point?

You cannot make it as a wandering generality. You must become a meaningful specific.
– Zig Ziglar

Let’s stop stumbling across life, letting it happen to us. That’s how victims talk, and you are not a victim.

Wife and I are trying to be proactive, which means fighting the tendency to be reactive. No more being manipulated by your circumstances.

Being proactive means you carry your own weather with you. Your circumstances do NOT define your response.

In this excerpt from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the author shares the dangers of being a reactive person:

…If our lives are a function of conditioning and conditions, it is because we have, by conscious decision or by default, chosen to empower those things to control us.

In making such a choice, we become reactive. Reactive people are often affected by their physical environment. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn’t, it affects their attitude and their performance.

Proactive people can carry their own weather with them. Whether it rains or shines makes no difference to them.

…Reactive people are also affected by their social environment, by the “social weather.” When people treat them well, they feel well; when people don’t, they become defensive or protective. Reactive people build their emotional lives around the behavior of others, empowering the weaknesses of other people to control them.

…Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive people are driven by values — carefully thought about, selected and internalized values.
— Stephen R. Covey
(emphasis added)

For extra credit, read Choose Your Response and The Set of the Sails.