Four Words That Can Change Your Life by Kristy Mast

 Sometimes the difference between staying stuck and moving forward comes down to four simple words: What would it take?

Where Most People Get It Wrong

The problem is, most of us only ask that question once. We hit an obstacle, toss the question out, and when the first answer feels too hard, too expensive, or too inconvenient, we quit. We walk away frustrated, maybe even resentful, believing the life we want is out of reach.

The key is, you shouldn’t just ask this question once. You ask it again. And again- at least four times. Why? Because the first answer is usually surface-level. The second digs deeper. The third starts to stretch your imagination. By the fourth, you’ve tapped into a creative solution you might never have seen otherwise.

Imagine the Possibilities

The power of What would it take? is that it shifts your energy from dwelling on problems to imagining possibilities. It’s not about whether you can do something right now. It’s about exploring what it would require…time, effort, money, sacrifice, creativity…and then deciding if it’s worth it.

And here’s the beauty: even if you decide it’s not worth it, you walk away with peace, because you made a choice instead of letting life make it for you.

What Do You Dream of?

Want to stop working and stay home with your kids? What would it take?

Want to travel the world? What would it take?

Want to start your own business? What would it take?

How We Put It Into Practice

Several years ago, when our older three kids were in elementary school, Wes and I faced this exact question. We were traveling regularly for a business mastermind, and while we brought our kids often, truancy letters from the school started piling up. I wanted to travel, but I didn’t want to leave my kids.

So, we asked ourselves: What would it take?

1. It would take homeschooling. Okay, what would it take to do that?
2. It would take hiring someone to help. What would it take for that person to join us on the road?
3. It would take cutting costs elsewhere and paying off student loans.

Step by step, the answers came…not all easy, not all immediate, but possible. And through the process, we realized we had more control over our life than we ever believed.

Be a Problem Solver

Most people spend their lives reacting to problems instead of creating solutions. They become problem-dwellers instead of problem-solvers. But when you ask What would it take? and keep asking, you stop reacting and start creating.

The life you dream of is within reach. The question is: are you willing to do what it costs?

So today, don’t just dream, decide. Whatever it is…your career, your marriage, your kids, your future—ask yourself: What would it take? And then take the first step. Before long, you’ll look back and realize you’re living the life you once only dreamed about.