Do you want better results? For most of us, the answer is yes. We want better results in one or more areas of our personal lives or in our business. As a matter of fact, when I have asked people what achieving “better” results means for them, I typically hear words like improve, increase, expand, and reduce. Not sure about you, but when I think about getting better results, those words make sense to me too.

The next question I ask is where it gets interesting and a little harder for some people to find an answer. The question is this, “What will you do differently to achieve better results?” Think about that question for just a moment with me and why it gets a little tricky sometimes. Just look at a few of the words in the sentence, and you might be able to see where we can get stuck. “Will.” “You.” “Do.” “Differently.”

When I ask someone what they “will” do, I am not asking what they would do, could do, or should do, I am asking them specifically what they “will” do differently that will help them achieve better results. Have you ever found yourself in the woulda, coulda, shoulda trap? We all have at some point, I’m sure, and if only we focused on that one little word, “will,” we can improve and increase our likelihood of success and absolutely reduce the chances of our failure.

The next word to pay attention to in the question is “You.” I don’t ask them what their friend will do, or their associate will do differently, I ask each person a very precise question, what will “you” do differently to realize better results? We can always use help from co-workers, friends, and trusted advisors, however there is an old saying that is just as true today as it was yesterday, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” If improved, increased, and expanded results are eluding you, apply some pressure on what “you” can do differently to achieve those better results.

Planning is critically important, but planning will only get us so far. At some point we must deliver, execute, and get the job done. I do not ask them what they are going to do, or what they have done in the past. Instead, I ask everyone what they intend to “do” differently in order to exceed their expectations around the results they desire and goals they have set for themselves or their business. The greatest opportunity for achieving better results is found in the “do” of our doing, no excuses, just “do.”

Whatever our interests might be, like increasing our finances, getting in better physical condition, breaking a bad habit, building better relationships, expanding a business, growing deeper in our faith, or any other better result we are pursuing, we must be willing to go about it “differently.” Some of us still end up doing what we have always done, because that’s the way we have always done it. We do the same thing over and over again, and yet we expect to see different or improved results. Some have said that this is the definition of insanity. Another definition might identify it as our comfort zone. If we are looking for better results, let’s look to break out of that comfort zone.

“What will you do differently to achieve better results?” Try answering the question while focusing on these four words, “will, you, do, and differently.” Confidently own and commit to your answer, decisions, direction, and execution. And when you do, I have no doubt that you will be realizing better results today and in all your tomorrows yet to come.

How about you? Are you looking for better results of some kind? Do you consistently break through your comfort zone to achieve higher levels of success? I would love to hear your achievement story at mnorton@tramazing.com, and when we start to see better results personally and professionally, it really will be a better than good week.

Michael Norton is the grateful CEO of Tramazing.com, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.