The last two weeks I have been blogging about the powerful mindset shifts and how important they are to transform your life. However, there are pitfalls that everybody experiences right after they make mindset shifts.

After we make a mindset shift, we expect everyone and everything to fall into place. When we decide to make a personal change, it does not mean that other people will also change. If we decide to eat healthier, part of us is hoping that nobody else eats cookies around us or all the billboards for fast food just disappear. This of course is not realistic.

I have attended many events where the speakers present ideas that can transform lives. Inevitably, the attendees will go home and be faced with… life. I have gone to writing events, speaking events, marketing events and others. Yet, experiencing a transformation takes discipline, hard work, getting over barriers and many more obstacles.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about my mindset shift that allowed me to realize my dream of moving away from home to attend college. One of the first steps to make that a reality was making an appointment at the Office of Disabilities. Earlier that year, I went to visit two other schools, and the Office of Disabilities was not that comforting. In the back of my mind, I was afraid that as soon as I made the visit, my dream would be squashed.

Although my parents always supported me throughout the journey, they were as skeptical as I was, or possibly even more. In fact, on the drive down there my mom remarked about the smog in Los Angeles. The meeting went so well that on the drive back my mom said, “You are going.”

When I found out what it costs to go to USC, even I thought I was crazy. Later, I found out that my only friend that I knew was going to study abroad for a semester.

When I got to USC, there were many issues that I had to deal with. It took me six weeks to find a roommate. In the meantime, my mom or my dad stayed with me. It took me a couple of weeks to find study assistants. One time my chair broke down in the rain. Another time, my chair hit a bump and water got in my loafers because when we had to present we were required to wear a suit. It was raining and it is not fun being in a suit in a wheelchair in the rain.

In the end, I really enjoyed it. Even when things were bad, it was awesome. Nothing regarding my disability changed other than the mindset shift.

My buddy, Chris, presents at wellness seminars where the organizers encourage the participants to eat well, and exercise. They even provide meals. Chris wraps up by explaining that once they get out of there, they are going to go hit the airport and be faced with the temptation of fast food.

Another example is that I attended a sponsorship event. I am in the middle of implementing the teaching. There are parts of the process that are really tedious. There are parts of the process that are boring. There are parts of the process that are frustrating. And, so on. The excitement that you feel when you are thinking of the goal or making the mindset shifts is fleeting.

Just because you make a mindset shift, that does not mean that the world is going to bend to everything that you need.

Every single mindset shift that I made came with some resistance. However, if you are willing to go through that resistance, then you can transform your life.