In my 19 years of organizing homes and offices across this vast country, I have never found that my clients had lack of space or time or whatever. Don't misunderstand me. I hear clients say that all the time. Many of them believe it is true. Oh, how they wish it were true, because then the whole mess would be the fault of some cosmic force out to get them. We don't need an advanced degree to be masters at shifting blame. It's a built in mindset, isn't it?

• "If only I had a larger storage room" (the "more space" theory).
• "If only my boss would hold fewer meetings" (the "more time" theory).
• "If only I had gotten a bigger raise" (the "more money" theory).

Picture this: "Ed" is preparing to move, so he gets a stack of boxes to pack his stuff. He estimates a need for 10 boxes, but the stuff won't fit. What does he do? He curses the boxes, of course. They're inadequate. He's innocent-a victim of the "small box" gremlin. "If only…"

Silly, you say? We're all Ed and do that very thing continually. When will Ed wake up? When will we all wake up? The boxes are my schedule; the stuff is all I'm obsessed to do. The boxes are my life; the stuff is all I'm trying to accumulate. The crisis occurs when I'm determined to do more than my schedule can accommodate, to get more than my "life" can hold. At some point I face the law of diminished returns. I can't afford more boxes, and even if I could, I have no place to put them. So I enjoy nothing. My life is spent juggling my "successes."

And why? What's at the bottom of this management gridlock? More importantly, can it be fixed? Thankfully, I know there are answers. And yes, it can be fixed, but there is a price tag.

It isn't easy for any of us to face stark reality here-that the root cause of our inability to manage our lives lies squarely within ourselves-that guy or gal we look at in the mirror each day.

We may not be ready to face the truth, but we're desperate, right? So let's give it a shot. The real culprit? An old-fashioned word called "Coveting."

Here's a modern definition: Coveting is wanting, going, being, doing and having more than we can maintain. It is relying on tomorrow to bring happiness that today cannot supply. Coveting focuses on the future at the expense of present satisfaction. Coveting yearns for rewards not yet earned and believes they are fully deserved right now. Coveting presumes an importance of my wants and assumes that the system owes me a better deal. Coveting thinks, "It's all about me." Coveting says, "I shall have this or else-and as soon as possible."

The problem is inside us; so is the solution. The answer to coveting? Gratitude and contentment. Focus on wanting what you have, not having what you want. How to begin? Take stock. Do you live by unchanging principles or fashionable values? Values can and will change with a whim. Principles are rock-solid. Start by recognizing the Creator. Then give thanks for life itself and for its gifts that no amount of money can buy.