I wanted to spend some time with you guys today talking about why I always tell you that it all starts with you. There is a reason that this phrase has been so important to me and meant so much to me over the years. These few words have literally changed my life. Whatever it is that you want to change in your life. Whether you want to be faster or stronger. Whether you want to have a better job, or better friends, or a better relationship -- every single one of those goals starts with you deciding to make a change and you taking the proper steps to enact that change. I do not just say it all starts with you to sound clever. There is so much more meaning behind that phrase. You are responsible for the life that you have.

Now, of course, I only mean that you are responsible for your life to a certain extent. I do not believe that all of the bad things that happened to you are your responsibility or your fault. It is only how you deal with those things that is up to you. It is your responsibility to decide where you go from the place you are at, whether it is your fault you got there or not.

The phrases like "Live it, breathe it, be it" or "It all starts with you" are phrases that I tell myself every single day to keep myself motivated and moving forward when times get tough. These phrases should be on constant repeat cycles in your head everyday. So I challenge you to start telling yourself that it all starts with you on a daily basis. I mean it. Start telling yourself out loud at some point during the day that "it all starts with you." This is so important because you have got to be real with yourself. The reinforcement and verbal reminder is great, but the real point of telling yourself is so you can confront yourself and be honest with yourself. Stop lying to yourself and telling yourself that you are a victim. Maybe something bad happened to you that wasn't your fault. I'm sorry about that. I really am, but I also want what is better for you, and blaming everybody else isn't going to help get you to that better place that I would like for you to be at so I'm going to be real with you. Of course that doesn't really matter if you are not real with yourself.

If you are genuinely serious about change and you want to get better or be in a better place, then you have got to start meditating on responsibility. Responsibility is what will get you farther in life. Understanding your responsibilities and taking responsibility for the problems in your life is the stepping stone to true transformation in your life. Start telling yourself that it all starts with you, but more importantly, you have got to start believing it.

As always, it all starts with you.