I’ve always been something of a health nut.

I recently recommitted myself to my exercise program. For me, that consists of a short “wake up” set of exercises in the morning.

I also commit to jogging at least 4 times each week at a bare minimum.

I had been cruising along well with this program earlier in the year, but them I hit a patch that broke up that routine. After a few weeks off, my routine wasn’t quite a routine anymore. Now I’m back trying to pick up the pieces again…

I’m back to trying to get back to the habit of physical exercise. But I’m fighting a little voice the whole way. I’ll lay there in bed, and that little voice is urging me to stay in bed – to get just 10 more minutes of sleep rather than do my exercise routine.

I have to fight that little voice telling me “I don’t have enough time to get the jogging in today”. To do it later. But deep down, I know if I don’t get it done right then and there, it’s not going to get done.

What it’s taken is what Chet Holmes calls “pigheaded discipline and determination” in his book “The Ultimate Sales Machine”. It’s taken pigheaded discipline and determination to ignore that part of my mind that is fighting me all the way. That little voice that keeps trying to derail my progress.

What has made the most difference to me is just getting started. If I can’t get started, I can finish. I’ll get get dressed and started on my run. What I tell the little voice is that I’ll just get started, and I can decide whether or not to go my usual distance or cut it short. Once I get started, I’ll almost always go the distance. The trick is to get myself started.

I’ve been trying to apply that same pigheaded discipline and determination to my real estate business goals. I’m not talking about old hat…I’m talking about new projects and initiatives. It takes lots of energy and commitment to start something new in business, whether that’s a new avenue in marketing, or some new project. It requires consistent focus and determination over time.

What’s happened with me in the past when I’ve tried to get new projects off the ground is that most times I’ve failed miserably. Many times, I’d set something as a priority, but never actually done anything. Or, something I’d do something for a few weeks (or less), but then stop. Just give up and never look back.

But according to Chet’s philosophy of pigheaded discipline and determination, this is where your pigheaded determination needs to kick in. Pigheaded discipline and determination is all about taking action in spite of what the little voice is saying.

Your pigheaded discipline and determination needs to help you get moving, get started, regardless of what your little voice is judging the plan or your actions.

It needs to help you ignore that little voice that’s telling you things aren’t working out, so you may as well just give up. It needs to keep you going when things get tough.

Just like what I discovered from my exercise routine, the secret is to just get started with the first step so you begin to develop some momentum. Once you’ve gotten started, it will be easier to keep yourself going. The other secret is to remain committed and consistent in your efforts. It may take you weeks or months before you start getting the results that you are expecting. But if you keep after it, it’s going to happen for you.