02 Mar Honesty, the missing link in pursuing your goals.
There is one simple question you can ask yourself every single day.
“How much energy and time do I honestly have available to work on my goals?”
Being honest with yourself helps you transcend the energy depleting question “Do I feel like doing x, y or z?”
Consistency, more than anything, is the one thing that is going to help you move toward your goals, dreams and ambitions.
When we focus on consistency and working with the energy and time we have on any given day, progress is inevitable.
Some days we have a lot of time or energy, other days we have little time or energy. Work with what you have, even if that means spending 10 minutes of low energy on what you have planned to do.
This creates a habit of taking action no matter what, and gives you the satisfaction of forward moving action.
Getting where we want to be is hard
It´s boring, it takes much longer than we want, and it comes with setbacks.
Have you ever tried learning a new language? Remember how painful that process was?
Learning new things is hard, we cannot yet connect the dots, we feel overwhelmed, lost, vulnerable, exposed.
Its a normal process, and we can’t escape it, but we can make it manageable and achievable.
Everything is a system, planning leads to action
Life consists of various interconnected systems. We need structure, a well-thought-out plan of action, and effective planning.
A systematic approach helps us stay organized, focused, and better equipped to brings a sense of ease in navigating the complexities of our ambitions.
Here’s a simple planning approach I recommend:
1. define your goals for the week
2. break them into categories
3. plan specific tasks and steps
4. schedule tasks in your calendar
Monday looks like this for example:
- training
- groceries
- script writing
- client sessions
- draft newsletter
Identify the minimal effort you can commit to per day, and stick to it.
Be adaptable to the unexpected. Anticipate potential challenges and have plans in place. What will you do when you don’t have access to your gym, or when you are traveling, or when you have visitors? Anticipation makes it easier to adapt.
Ask yourself “How can I make my goal a part of my daily routine?”
The brain thrives on routine, so try and do the same thing at the same time in your days and in your weeks so that your brain and body are prepared to do things with less resistance.
How can you include your project, your goal, in your days? By stacking it with other things that are already part of your day and routine.
This is how I do it and you can create your own plan
On Sunday, I find a moment to sit down and write down what I would like to achieve during the week. I break it up in categories health, home work, growth, and play.
Then I break this further down into the specific tasks and steps and see how I can bundle them in a logic manner. For example, groceries and errands all in one morning.
Then I grab my schedule and plan the tasks in the days of the week.
Next step is to make it mindlessly easy to get going
In the evening I will look at my training program so I know what I will be doing. I prepare my clothes and have them ready for the morning.
For any creative work I will proceed step by step. One day I think about the overall concept, next day I write a script, and the following day I will do the recording, or finalise the writing.
Every step matters
Doing something is better than doing nothing, so don’t let your day pass without taking a minor step towards your goal.
This will help you get into the habit of doing what you need to do, no matter what.
I hope this has provided you with a framework to work with and ignited a desire to create a plan.
With love & appreciation,
Lydia