Success...One Day At A Time

Stop Focusing On Keeping That Ball Rolling!

Question:

"My main problem is I do all the prelimary steps, such as planning my goals and drawing up work schedules, but I don't seem to keep the momentum going. I fade out and then start again.

How can I become focused and keep the ball rolling?"

Answer:

We're often told that we must make lists and plan for our goals.

The trouble is...most of us, even with the best intentions, don't really know what we want!

Quite often - we may spend a long period of time chasing something that we THINK that we want - yet, when we get there it either isn't what we thought it was...or it STILL isn't enough!

It might be becoming a 'manager'...or taking that dream vacation...or owning that car...or buying that huge TV.

Yet...once we achieve what we have aimed for - it's often not as good as we thought it might be.

On the other side of the coin...there are also many things that we DON'T get around to doing (even though we think that we want to) - because once we begin to make plans and take steps towards our 'goal' - we quite often just lose interest and momentum.

And...believe me...once you fall out of that 'zone' of focusing on what you are really fired up to do - it's very rare that you get back into it.

So...what's the answer then?

Well, (in my book anyway) - the answer is a simple one.

Don't get hung up on a end result that you THINK that you might want or need.

Instead - focus on making the most of learning from what sort of person it makes you if you try to get there.

What I really mean is that, by all means, aim for those things you aspire to - but, if for some reason - you lose that 'spark' for it...then just accept that perhaps it wasn't the right thing for you after all (at this stage of your personal development).

That's not to say that you will NEVER get whatever or be whoever you want in your life...it just means that perhaps now isn't the right time for you to be in that position - you might have a liitle more 'growing' to do in order to make the most of it when you DO achieve your goal.

You may also (like I did), realize along the journey towards where you think that you want to go - that perhaps you found something along the path towards it that suits you so MUCH better!

Believe me...once you DO find your 'purpose'...then there will be no stopping you!

But, in the meantime...keep focusing on moving TOWARDS something that inspires you, and stop focusing on 'what could have been'.

If you move forward...yet don't quite reach the mark THIS time - then isn't that a much greater success than not doing ANYTHING at all?

So...What DOES Make You Happy?

I hope that you had a happy and restful holiday period.

I certainly did a lot less 'work' than usual thanks to the combination of lack of sleep thanks to new baby Skye, and the free-for-all that is Christmas and New Year.

So...writing this stuff has taken a back seat as I am the sort of person who thrives on challenging himself to learn and do new things - and over the last few months I've certainly been doing that in terms of my online adventures.

Also...I'm practicing being the hands-on dad to Skye like I was with Connor (and missed with Katie) - and it has reminded me of where my priorities should always lie.

Also...things like the Tsunami in Asia, horrific as they are, provide us all with the opportunity to realize that perhaps our lives aren't THAT bad really, are they?

It's just a shame that it takes things like this and 9/11 to make people wake up to the fact that there are far more important things to life than accumulating stuff and worrying about what other people like of us!

This time of year always makes me reflective as opposed to looking forward.

I've made and broken so many resolutions over the years that (like you, I expect) they don't really MEAN anything anymore.

So...based on my experiences over the last year (where I get involved in too many things that didn't benefit me in the ways I wanted) - I have decided to focus my efforts in more streamlined ways.

So...instead of writing practically daily as I used to, I am now reading and applying more in my life - so that I can 'deliver' a better result for YOU in terms of what I say.

I've said many times before that it's easy to get into a rut of doing things 'just because' - so this year you will undoubtedly be hearing from my less as I focus more on the 80/20 side of my working life.

Having said that - I still have a few very interesting things in various stages of development that might interest you as the year progresses - and in the next few weeks I will be asking you what YOU would like to see more of in the future.

It's so easy to get lost in the 'me-too' crowd online, especially when writing about motivation as I do.

When I started online almost 3 years ago - I decided that I would be different in terms of what I would do and say.

If you've been reading what I've written since then, hopefully you'll agree that I have gone a little way to being that.

BUT...

Not sufficiently enough to really stand out from the increasing crowd.

So...this year my direction will be more focused. On the spiritual side of life. On the focus side of life...and on how to just be plain happy on a daily basis!

After all...who knows when the next 'wave' will hit, in whatever shape or form.

Being miserable ruins something very precious...something that is worth more than any amount - time.

So...let's start from the beginning.

What makes YOU happy...and how can you do MORE of it?

Two Sentences To Make A Difference...

Yes...it's been a while.

But...sometimes there are things that have to take place behind new babies and the holidays.

So...to start off the New Year, instead of asking you what your resolutions would be...

I want to ask you TWO things...

"What are you going to do this year that you haven't done yet (for whatever reason) but know that you should have?"

"WHEN are you going to do it?"

That's it. Nothing else.

We're talking specifics here...no - 'I want to lose weight'...or 'get fit' or 'get a better job'!

What EXACTLY will you do...and by WHEN?

And...just so that you don't feel left out...here's mine:

"I will get Lesley involved with some of the admin and accounting functions of my business so that the extra time will allow me to work ON the business...instead of IN it!"

"I will begin 'training' her by January 31st."

Believe me - this task is something that I have put off for a few years...even though Lesley doesn't mind helping out - and I'm useless at the admin stuff!

So...this is quite a BIG thing for me to achieve going into this year!

What about YOU?