So this post isn’t so much about your work. It’s about how you can change your life…and your work. You are the heart and soul of your work. But you can’t be the best and maximize your work potential if you are operating below your personal potential. In this post, I’m going to share how just making a decision helped me and how it can help you too.
Everything begins as a thought.
Ponder that for a moment.
Nothing you do happens without you thinking it first.
Our thoughts have great power to change our lives. It’s all about perspective. We can think positively and then act positively, or we can think bad things will happen, do nothing, and guess what, bad things may happen. Or, they don’t happen, but we’re stuck in Going-Nowhereville. Remember, doing nothing is a choice.
Let me share a little story.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t initially buy into the whole “mindset” hoopla. I had always operated under the idea that if I made a choice, I would follow through and do what needed done. It didn’t seem like a big deal. Besides, I juggled so many things at one time successfully on such a regular basis.
Until I didn’t.
You’ve heard it before…I got so tired of being tired. I was drained. All. The. Time. Doing anything besides going through my daily routine felt like moving a mountain. And sometimes even the daily routine was utterly exhausting. I was working full time, taking care of my family, trying to take care of things around the house (often unsuccessfully), and support multiple business ventures with my husband. All of this while my toddler still was waking up multiple times a night.
I had enough. What had happened to me? I used to get things done. I used to feel in control. I used to feel dynamic. I used to be so…
Then I realized what was different. Not so long ago, yes, I would make a choice, design a plan of action, and then make it happen. I would get so focused that I couldn’t see any alternative or option other than the choice I had made. But after having kids and working full time, and taking on additional things, I felt like all I could do was tread water. To let go of moving forward in favor of maintaining, just keeping my head above water. I stopped following through because it seemed too hard with all the stuff, and the noise, and the tasks to be done.
I had stopped making choices. I stopped making plans. Because hey, I had no plan. I fell into my routine and stayed there. For a long time. Does this sound familiar?
So, I started to think about how I could turn things around. Asked myself what I really wanted. And I started doing a lot of reading on personal development. I saw a lot of my old self in the discussions and exercises about how personal commitment, focus, and perseverance was truly the answer to achieving greatness for myself and others. I had to resurrect that me to be me again.
Once I made the conscious decision to change my path and started to take steps toward that destination, you know what? It was easier to get up in the morning. I didn’t feel like I was dragging myself through my day. I felt better. Where I thought I had zero extra time, I found small pockets of time (even just 10 minutes) and used that time for something productive for my goal instead of mindless crap (i.e. scrolling social media). I was excited about the possibilities again and found satisfaction in the small accomplishments on my path toward my goal, even if I was the only one who knew about them.
You can turn yourself around too.
Our thoughts are powerful things. Everything we do and are is because of our thoughts. We can’t do something without thinking it first. What we need to do is be more deliberate about and confident in our decisions as catalysts for our future success.
Here is what I want you to know: yes, a single decision and then acting on it can change the trajectory of your life, or at the very least, improve the quality of your life. There are just three simple steps.
- Decide.
- Plan.
- Act.
Really, that’s all there is to it. Whatever you want, you can have, as long as you make a decision, map out what you need to do to get it, do what you need to do, and stick with it. Persevere. Be relentless. See no other options than the goal you have set. Think about possible obstacles and put a plan in place to avoid them or deal with them. Accept no other outcome and you will be successful.
Have you ever made a decision that changed how you felt even before you reached your goal? Share your story in the comments, or reach out to me directly!
What challenges have you experienced accomplishing your goals? Share your thoughts or questions below so I can help!
Related posts:
How to Write Goals that Work (Reflection + SMART)
3 Reasons We Don’t Achieve Goals – and What to Do About Them
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