Anthony Robbins teaches a concept that he calls the “Ultimate Success Formula”. Regardless of what you want to do or accomplish in life, you can use this formula to achieve it. This is the second of five installments explaining the details of this formula. Read part one.

Step #2: Know The Reasons Why. Why is this outcome a must for you?

According to Tony, the reasons come first. Answers come second. The reasons are the fuel to get you to follow through. If you have big enough reasons why, your brain will figure out how to achieve the outcome.

In order to get ourselves to take action, we need a reason that is larger than life. We need to get leverage over ourselves so that the outcome becomes something we have to do. Something we can’t not do. Not a “should”, but a “must”.

So how can we get ourselves to this point?

Tony says that there are two driving forces that create lasting change: the forces of pain and pleasure. Everything we, as human beings, do is to avoid pain and gain pleasure. So the key to making that “should” a “must” is to understand the pain associated with not achieving the outcome, and the pleasure associated with accomplishing it. (Although you should think about both aspects, Tony says that the desire to avoid pain is stronger than the desire to gain pleasure.)

Recall, from the first installment, our example of losing weight. (The outcome was “I want to be healthy, fit, and at my ideal weight of 175 lbs. I want to be active, run a marathon, and have tons of energy every day. I want to wake up in the morning with a feeling of excitment and passion, look great in my clothes, and feel proud of myself every time I look in the mirror.”)

How do you make your outcome a “must” instead of a “should”? Consider the following example:

What would happen if I don’t lose weight? (This is the pain associated with not accomplishing the goal.)

1. I have a greater chance of dying from everything. Obesity has a massive impact on risk factors for other diseases. By being overweight, I will have an increased risk of cancer and many other illnesses.
2. If I don’t do something right now, I will start to have problems with my back and knees. I have been lucky to this point, but as I get older they will begin to bother me.
3. I will miss out on so much of life. I am missing out on spending time in the great outdoors and being active.
4. I will amplify my hereditary risk of heart disease. Since my uncle had a heart attack a few years ago, and my grandfather had one before him, there is obviously a much greater risk of heart disease in my family. I need to do something about it now or else I will be a ticking time bomb.
5. If I don’t lose weight now, I will continue to feel terrible and embarrassed every time I look in the mirror. I have felt that way for years. And I am tired of it.
6. I will always hate going out in public because I feel like people are judging me.
7. I will have to keep buying new clothes, wasting money on clothing I don’t even like because nothing else fits me.
8. It will hurt me financially. Since I am going into business, I will be dependent on sales. People are superficial, and they judge quickly. If I stay overweight, it will make me look unprofessional and will hurt my ability to sell.

Why must I lose weight? (The pleasure associated with accomplishing the goal.)

1. So I can feel sexy and confident. So I can wear form-fitting designer clothes and feel good every time I look at myself in the mirror and when I walk in public.
2. To feel energized every day. Since I am quitting my job, moving to a new home, and starting a new life and a new business, I need to hit the ground running. I need more energy now than ever before.
3. So I can enjoy all of the activities my wife and I want to do together, like scuba diving, hiking, biking, etc.
4. To set an example for my family. If I ever have children, I want them to be healthy, active, and have good habits. How can I help them if I can’t help myself?

There is no right or wrong answer to this exercise. It is all relative. The key is to come up with whatever it takes to get you emotional about the outcome.

By associated enough pain to not accomplishing the goal, and enough pleasure to achieving it, you will get to the point where you say, “Never Again!” It is at this point, where you cannot take another day without taking action, that you have what Tony refers to as “leverage” over yourself. And that is the whole point of knowing your reasons why– to get leverage.

No matter what you want to change in your life, you can change it once you get leverage. The path may not be easy, but if you truly want something different, your mind will find a way.

Read part three.