Stop Forcing It: Create the Results You Actually Want

by Debbie Heiser

We’ve all been there - those days when you look at your to-do list and instantly want to look away. You know exactly what’s on it, but instead of diving in, you’d rather slip away to the lake, pour another cup of coffee and scroll Instagram, or lose yourself in the comfort of a Netflix binge.

And sure, sometimes the old “buck up and get it done” pep talk can work. There’s nothing wrong with powering through every once in a while. But if you find yourself constantly having to push, force, or grind your way through tasks, there’s something bigger going on.

That “funk” isn’t just laziness, it’s a signal. And if you pay attention, it’s telling you something important about how you’re operating, and more importantly, about the results you’re creating in your life and business.

Back in my Corporate America days, there was one question I would often ask my team:

“Is what you’re doing getting you closer to, or further away from, your goal?”

It’s simple, but it’s powerful. And when you start to look at your daily actions through that lens, you begin to see the hidden patterns in the way you work, think, and make decisions. Not everything you do will be directly tied to your top goals, life is more nuanced than that. But if much of your energy is going into things that don’t move you forward, then you must pause and look at the “why” behind those choices. That’s where studying the Universal Laws changed everything for me.

Photo by Josselyn Peterson Photography

The Law of Cause and Effect and Why It’s a Game-Changer

Here’s the reality: Nothing happens by chance. Every single result you experience is an effect that began with a cause you set in motion.

Within the world of Universal Laws, you are First Cause.

Every action you take, every thought you think, every decision you make, it all sets something in motion. And those causes inevitably create effects. Logically, it makes sense that we would simply choose actions that get us the results we want. But here’s the problem: most people are running on autopilot. The “causes” they set in motion aren’t chosen with intention, they’re shaped by long-held beliefs, past experiences, and unconscious habits.

When you’re in a funk, it’s usually those old, outdated beliefs running the show. And until you change that, you’ll keep creating the same effects—over and over again. This is why one of the most important questions you can ask yourself is: “What effect do I want?”

When you’re crystal clear on the result you want, you can reverse-engineer it. You can choose the thoughts, beliefs, habits, and actions that line up with that result, rather than defaulting to old patterns that keep you stuck.

And here’s the key: this isn’t just about knowing what to do. It’s about feeling the outcome before you get there. When you connect emotionally with the result you want, you activate desire, and desire is causative.

Ok, this is all great, but how does this look in everyday life and business? Here are two examples, one about health and one about business:

HEALTH:

Let’s say you want to be active five days a week. You make the commitment. But at the end of a long day, the couch, a blanket, and “just one more episode” sound way more appealing than a walk or a workout.

This is the moment to pause and ask: “What effect do I want?”

If the effect you want is more energy, better health, and feeling strong in your body, then imagine what it will feel like to be that version of you. Feel the sense of accomplishment after the hike. Picture how light and energized your body will feel when you stick with this habit. That emotional connection helps you override the momentary pull of the couch and make the choice that leads to the effect you actually want.

BUSINESS:

I worked with a client who had a clear financial goal for her business. The first thing we did was step into the mind of the version of them who had already achieved that number.

• What is that woman thinking?

• What is she doing differently?

• How does she make decisions?

Once we had that clarity, we could design the tactical strategy, everything from refining their sales process, to aligning their marketing with their ideal clients, to tightening up the systems that would support the growth of her company.

And here’s the part most people miss: we also identified the hidden blocks - the loyalty pacts and double binds that were silently holding them back. (These are often unconscious agreements or conflicting beliefs that keep you from fully stepping into your goals.). The result? She didn’t just hit her revenue goal, she stepped into a completely different way of running her business. One that was more profitable, more sustainable, and far more enjoyable.

Photo by Josselyn Peterson Photography

So why does this matter for you? Most people try to change their effects without changing their causes. They want more money, more clients, more freedom, but they keep thinking, believing, and acting in the same ways that created their current results.

A great coach will help you uncover the exact causes that are creating your current outcomes, both the ones that are working for you and the ones that are holding you back. Then designing new causes (new beliefs, strategies, and actions) to help you align with the results you want. And where you focus is where you go. When you align the inner game (mindset, beliefs, emotional connection) with the outer game (strategy, systems, sales process), the effects show up faster - and they stick.

So the next time you find yourself in a funk or stuck in procrastination, pause and ask yourself: “What effect do I want?”

Then make sure the cause you’re setting in motion matches it.

If you’re ready to stop reacting to your circumstances and start intentionally creating the results you want in your business, whether that’s more revenue, more clients, more freedom, or all of the above, let’s map it out together. I would love to help you uncover the exact shifts you need to make to change your results faster. Your next big win starts with the causes you choose today.

About the Author:

Debbie Heiser began her career in public education before moving into corporate leadership, eventually serving as Vice President of Training at Citi. Now based in Sandpoint, ID, Debbie is a full-time business coach, teaches leadership courses at Gonzaga University, and holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Servant Leadership. Head to www.thelituplife.com to learn more and to schedule a session with Debbie and her team!