7 Gut Check Questions

Are you ready for a check up?  Put your top back on, I don’t mean that sort of a check up!   It’s not a physical.  It’s not even a scientifically perfect or psychologically-based self evaluation - it’s more of just a gut check, actually.  Something to think about.  

Answer each question with A,B, or C and be 100 percent honest.  If you’re mortal (and I think most of you are), you’ll have at least one of each letter.  Write your answers down on a piece of scratch paper.

1.  A year ago, were you…..

• A.  Financially better off.
• B.  Financially worse off.
• C.  About the same.

2.  A year ago, were you…..

• A.  In better shape, physically.
• B.  In worse shape, physically.
• C.  About the same.

3.  A year ago, was your temperment…..

• A.  Better than it is now.
• B.  Worse than it is now.
• C.  About the same.

4.  A year ago, did your house (and/or yard) look…..

• A.  Better than it does now.
• B.  Worse than it does now.
• C.  About the same.

5.  A year ago, were your relationships…..

• A.  Better than they are now.
• B.  Worse than they are now.
• C.  About the same.

6.  A year ago, was your health…..

• A.  Better than it is now.
• B.  Worse than it is now.
• C.  About the same.

7.  A year ago, was your confidence…..

• A.  Higher than it is now.
• B.  Lower than it is now.
• C.  About the same.

If you have one or two C’s, there’s no need for absolute alarm.  If you have mastered an area, or if you are simply blessed - a few “About the same”s are entirely possible.  (Especially in the “Relationships” and “Health” questions).

Now, having said that, we might as well get to the bad news.  These questions, or more appropriately their answers, will show us clearly where we have….

GOTTEN STRONGER

GOTTEN SMALLER

GOTTEN STUCK

When you add up your A’s, B’s, and C’s keep a few things in mind:

• If you’ve had one of life’s  hard blows or shake-ups in the past year, like the loss of a loved one, your answers won’t be very reliable.  When life pulls the rug out from under us we are not ourselves for a while - we’re just trying to hang on and get through the days.  Been there.  More than once.
• If you have more more A’s than B’s or C’s, look on the bright side - there’s only one way to go and that’s up!  You can start improving yourself and your life starting today.
• If you have mostly B’s, you’re doing something right and I raise my coffee cup to you and give you a cyber pat on the back!  You’re growing and that’s the whole idea of self improvement, right?  The whole idea is to GROW through life, not just GO through life.
• Mostly C’s?  Only you can explain it.  You’re either perfect or in perfect denial.

Now What?

Now it’s time to spend a little quality time with your answers. Interrogate them! You need to find out the Why?’s behind each one.  So, take each answer and make it accountable - write down 3 reasons for it.  For example, if you’re less fit than you were a year ago, your Why’s may look something like this:

1. I don’t exercise anything beyond my options.
2. I eat out more often than I did last year.
3. My metabolism has turned on me.

Be sure you write down the positive answers as well as the not-so-positive ones.  It’ll help you realize what you’re doing right so you can keep on keeping on!

These 21 statements are pure gold.   They could be the roadmap to the future of your dreams, that’s all.  What makes them so valuable?  They will determine the answers to the following questions:

1.  A year from now, will you be…..

• A.  Financially better off.
• B.  Financially worse off.
• C.  About the same.

2.  A year from now, will you be…..

• A.  In better shape, physically.
• B.  In worse shape, physically.
• C.  About the same.

3.  A year from now, will your temperment be…..

• A.  Better than it is now.
• B.  Worse than it is now.
• C.  About the same.

4.  A year from now, will your house (and/or yard) look…..

• A.  Better than it does now.
• B.  Worse than it does now.
• C.  About the same.

5.  A year from now, will your relationships be…..

• A.  Better than they are now.
• B.  Worse than they are now.
• C.  About the same.

6.  A year from now, will your health be…..

• A.  Better than it is now.
• B.  Worse than it is now.
• C.  About the same.

7.  A year from now, will your confidence deserve to be…..

• A.  Higher than it is now.
• B.  Lower than it is now.
• C.  About the same.

STRONGER?  SMALLER?  STUCK? 

We’ve run out of excuses….now we have all the answers!