Being real with yourself is hard, but it needs to be done if you're going to live authentically. Be honest. Know your patterns. Recognize your typical excuses, rationalizations and justifications for failure. Look ahead and see which excuses you are most likely going to rely on and write them down in a story. Perhaps you could begin it by writing, "After reading and studying this book, I did not create meaningful and lasting change because ..." Be creative, thorough and brutally honest when doing this exercise. This is a test to see how willing you are to recognize that con job that sabotages you. It is a test to see if you can tell it like it is, or if you want to just live with the same old, tired excuses and be right in instead of happy.

Are any of the following excuses familiar? Did some of them get on your list?

It was just too hard.

He doesn't really understand me.

That's all for other people.

I couldn't focus because of the kids and my job.

He's just too harsh. I need a gentle approach.

My problems are different.

I need to read it again.

Until my spouse reads it, I'm just spinning my wheels.

I'm right and he's wrong.

Help yourself by evaluating your life, behavior and thinking. Instead of asking whether the way you are living, behaving and thinking is "right," ask whether the way you are living, behaving and thinking is working or not working.