Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this idea, “if they wanted to, they would,” and I gotta say, it’s been a real eye-opener. I started thinking about this because I noticed a pattern in my own life, both with myself and others.
First thing I did was jot down situations where I felt like this phrase applied. You know, those times when someone says they want something but their actions don’t really match up. It was a bit of a mess at first, just a bunch of random thoughts and examples on paper.
- Like, for example, that friend who always says they want to get in shape but never actually makes it to the gym or changes their diet.
- Or when I tell myself I want to learn a new language but never actually put in the time to practice.
Then, I tried to categorize these examples. I made two columns: “What they say they want” and “What they actually do.” This was where things got interesting. Seeing it laid out like that, it became pretty clear that there’s often a big gap between words and actions.
Next, I started digging into why this gap exists. I did some reading, nothing too academic, just some articles and blog posts online about motivation and behavior change. I stumbled upon quotes like “Read between the lines” and realized that sometimes, people’s true intentions are hidden in what they don’t say or do.
What did I learn?
Well, a few things. Firstly, it’s easy to say you want something, but it’s a whole different ball game to actually want it enough to put in the effort. I realized that for myself, there were things I thought I wanted, but when I really examined it, I wasn’t willing to do the work.
Secondly, I started to see this in other people more clearly. It wasn’t about judging them, but more about understanding that sometimes “I want to” really means “I like the idea of it, but not enough to actually do it.”
Lastly, I decided to apply this to my own goals. I picked one thing I’ve been saying I want to do for ages, which is writing more regularly. I set a small, achievable goal – writing just one paragraph every day. No excuses. And guess what? It’s been working! I’ve been consistent for a few weeks now, and it feels great.
This whole “if they wanted to, they would” thing has been a real journey. It’s made me more honest with myself and more understanding of others. It’s not about making excuses, but about recognizing what we truly want and being willing to go after it.
