Making the right call is only one part of the challenge, following through with it, without hesitation, can take a lot of willpower. So how do you not go back on your word, even if you’ve only given your word to yourself? By making a point out of keeping your word. This will contribute to your self-esteem and once you’ve followed through you’ll be able to enjoy the process without having the little you trying to take control. You are brave and most importantly, you are powerful.
Staying humble about what we think we know might sound unnatural and it definitely can be challenging, considering that we are spending our lives trying to prove ourselves from a young age, but it’s a must. Why? A flexible way of thinking allows us to welcome new information with an open mind. It helps us grow and it helps us adjust.
If you ever worked on a project and found it challenging to adjust to change or to update the plan, then you have an idea as to what the ‘always right’ mind is capable of. A beginner’s mind does the opposite. It allows us to receive new information assuming that the information we already hold might not be the truest representation of the current reality. Our mind has a tendency of staying stuck in the past. Accepting reality as ever-changing is a way of staying present. When we are open to learn, nothing will surprise us.
Having set a goal, it’s time to clear the road ahead and focus on progress. How do you set a goal? It’s not an exact science. It takes introspection and a desire to face your dreams and failures to find a way to move towards success. If you’re stuck in a state of wanting but incapable to persevere, this piece on Adjusting Your Goals Makes Them Attainable might help.
Distractions play a great part in weather or not we will make progress. When we think of distractions, the internet may be the first thing that pops into your mind. And that’s certainly a key player, but we don’t often consider:
A distraction is anything that will take you off the road that leads to your goal. More than willpower, we need better planning to succeed. Plan to avoid situations where distractions might occur and set the expectations low from those close to you when it comes to social activities. It doesn’t all have to be about sacrificing a good time for a productive time. Limiting distractions will not only help your progress, but turn a good time into a memorable time.
It was more than once that I was called an idiot which at a very young age was described to me as ‘a person with ideas’. It didn’t take long to understand that ideas are worth something, so I would explore every corner of my creativity trying to impress my audience. Only later to understand that ideas that are not implemented are mere entertainment.
Focus and creativity can make a great pair, but creativity needs discipline. To complete any piece of work we need focus. We need to take out our notebook and write down our ideas. Picture a child chasing a butterfly until a more flashy, beautifully painted one comes along. Chances are that the first butterfly that was chased is at a considerable distance by the time the child realizes the distraction.
Eliminating distractions can be painful in the beginning, which is why seeing our life through the eyes of our future-self numbs the pain and allows us to accumulate uplifting decisions and actions that will bring change and rewards. Become now who you want to be tomorrow.
Change happens in an instant, what takes time is the process leading to it. And even though we might not know it, internal processes are always in action, shifting our behaviors gradually, in line with our beliefs.
Here’s the irony: who you were is not who you are. Every day starts with a new challenge that shapes a part of you. The decisions on how to react, if we settle acting within our limitations or if we choose to educate ourselves and grow, the decision of being a better person or not, they all account for who we are, in the present moment.
You are shaping today and everyday who you are going to become and becoming never stops.
Looking around us at what we perceive as the successful and the beautiful, it’s easy to think that success is further away from us than we think. The truth is that in-between ourselves and success is our commitment and discipline to make things happen.
Many industries are built on profiting from people’s insecurities or inability to think that they have what it takes. This includes reality shows, vlogs, the beauty industry and all the easy fixes/instant schemes that will make you rich or beautiful or both.
It is sometimes challenging to look in the mirror and accept that what we have to work with is enough. That we are more than capable to put in the effort and bridge the gap between where we are standing and where we want to be. Stop waiting for things to happen or finding reasons to not even try to put in the effort. Focus on yourself and start building. You’ve got this.
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