Some days, many days, being the sharpest tool in the box i not all its cracked up to be. We may be masters at doing things, completing tasks, and even helping others reach their goals in life, but we seem to often miss the mark in our own lives.
There are many ways to live or to manage our lives, and most of those fall into one of two categories:
1. We can live your lives in a reactive manner, constantly at the mercy of the whims of people and the circumstances around us. Or,
2. We can also choose to be proactive in our lives. We can be focused, resilient, and create the type of life we feel we deserve. If we can gain a bit more control of ourselves, we can impact our purpose and destiny.
We have all tried it long enough, and we know that being successful is rarely as simple as working harder or working longer hours. It is about spending our time effectively. If our levels of success and happiness leave us feeling underwhelmed, we should seriously consider making some positive changes.
So, if you are with me in this, and are now ready to take a little control of your life, this is where we begin:
1. Recognize that the issue is not that we are not “good” at being successful. We have simply been good at being unsuccessful. We have become masters at sabotaging our own great work. Consistency has gotten us to where we are. We need to maintain consistency, but switch gears. Consistently taking a new set of actions will bring about new results.
2. We must take responsibility for our results up to this point. While most of us really love to blame others for our messes, and put all the responsibility on their shoulders, it is much better, and vitally important that we take responsibility.
- If we take responsibility, we can fix it. If we really buy into the story that our circumstances are someone else’s fault, what can we possibly do to change things?
- However, even if it is someone else’s fault, they are very unlikely to do anything to rectify the situation. It may not be your fault, but it is still your responsibility to fix it.
3. Understand that often, the actions we least want to take are probably the actions that will improve our lives the most. Think about that for a minute. The things you are really dreading just might be the very things you need to dive into to turn your life around.
4. Focus on effective actions. These are the actions that will take you on the most direct path to your goals.
- For example, suppose you are trying to lose weight. The most direct path is to simply eat a smaller number of calories and spend some time exercising each day. An entire industry of crazy diets and exercise programs has been created because people cannot get themselves to take the most direct path.
- In most cases, the effective actions will be obvious. The challenge lies in getting ourselves to take them.
5. Embrace the discomfort. We are all attracted to being comfortable. Unfortunately, the road to progress travels through the land of discomfort. We are most comfortable with the things we do on a regular basis. However, those are the same things that have led to the life we are currently living.
- Discomfort can be overcome by overruling our minds. Like any new activity, taking action in spite of discomfort gets a little easier with time and practice.
6. Life is short. Imagine that you are now 80 years old. How do you think you will look back on all the things that are challenging you now? Think about your life 20 years ago and the things that you found challenging back then. Are they the same types of issues?
The process of change is challenging, but rewarding. Imagine if you could get yourself to do all the things you know you should be doing. How would life look a year from now?
Make the time today to take one mildly uncomfortable action you have been putting off, even if it is something as “simple” as sitting down and paying your bills or calling your mother. Create the habit of doing something uncomfortable, but productive, every day. Over time, the really challenging things will become easier.
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