I have a guitar. I have had it for a long time. I kept it in the guitar case and took it out very rarely. I always wished I would practice it. I told myself I would practice more if I got a guitar stand so that I could just put it on the stand. I got a guitar stand. It is much easier to access now. I do not have to undo all the buckles on the case and open the case just to get the guitar out. Once I got the guitar stand I started actually practicing the guitar. I did very well and was practicing every day for quite a while. Then I stopped. As time past I found myself wishing that I would practice it. I mean, it is right there next to my desk with arms reach. But it has a clasp that holds the guitar in place and keeps it safe, and the it takes time to put the guitar strap around my neck.

Today I picked up my guitar and started strumming it. I wondered why I was practicing my guitar today. I realized that it was because I made the choice to do it an put forth the effort to do so. Granted, the effort was not great, but convincing myself to actually do it took a conscious decision.

I realized that this was analogous to many things in life. No matter what it is that we are wishing we could do or have, the probability that those things are just going to happen by themselves is very low. It takes a conscious decision to motivate our selves to put forth the effort to actually work toward doing or having the things that we want.