I've just spent half an hour watering my garden. We have a tiny garden but grow all sorts of veg in pots and even berries and some fruit trees.

Half an hour though... and in the heat it needs that much twice a day.

Running a business, I optimise how I'm spending my time, and that can seem like a lot of time to spend watering the garden.

But what made me think was "that's what it takes." It's what it takes to be able to go into the garden weeks from now and pick fresh herbs to top my salad with. Or to gather a bowl of berries. Or to sit outside and enjoy all the lush greens around me and get recharged.

When you want to create something, it pays off to think what it will take for you to do it.

When you buy a plant you probably think about the need for water and occasional feeding for it to thrive.

When you get a puppy, you think a bit more carefully about what it will take to care for it. Walking it, training it, feeding it, cleaning up after it 😉

And it's wise to do the same with every area of your life - like career, relationships, personal growth, creating financial freedom, etc.

It pays off to go into anything with eyes open and acknowledge what it will take.

I agree with many out there that knowing your WHY is first and the most important. You do the work because of a big enough reason or purpose.

On the other hand, knowing WHAT it will take, is what gets your full buy-in. You have a picture of the road in your mind's eye. Even if you hit nasty surprises along the way, they won't throw you off, because that's something you prepared for. (Of course you keep open to pleasant surprises and opportunities along the way too.)

This generates unwavering commitment to staying the course.

When you commit consciously to put in what it takes, you will generate so much motivation - because you'll know what to expect and every step will be a reminder you're a step closer to your end goal, to your Why.

You will find a well of discipline - not a very sexy word, but very important to create results.

And you will get over any hurdle with so much more ease and resilience, because the comfort-seeking undisciplined part of your mind won't stand in your way and hold you back. You'll have prepared yourself in advance. If it tried to get in the way, you'd just need to re-commit, in earnest.

Besides, you'll know what you're getting closer to. Process will become your teacher, and the outcome will be the wind in your sails.

You will know that after investing what it takes - your time, money, energy, commitment, you-name-it - you will be reaping the benefits.

You will have more clarity, confidence and will be creating the level of success you can be proud of. You will have grown as a person and will be dealing with life in a much more masterful way.

You will have that dream purposeful career, or the relationship you always wanted. You will be more assertive and get your needs met. Because you'll have invested in developing yourself and doing things that needed to be done.

Just as I am able to go into my garden and harvest that rosemary for a Sunday veggie roast.

And more importantly, through everything I put into my own personal and professional growth, I am able to do what I love daily, celebrate the results I help my clients create, whilst also enjoying my own results and fulfilment of the path I'm on.

I start with the end in mind, look back at the path I'll need to walk, and let that boost my commitment to the whole journey.