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Back and Forth

21 Mar

When we’re trying to accomplish something in our lives, if we want to find success, we have to move forward. We need to look at the situation objectively, weigh our options, and determine the path that will take us where we want to go. But life is full of distractions. There is a lot going on all the time. Other people in our lives have their own goals and interests, and although they may want to support ours, their focus is getting their own accomplishments completed. We can be side tracked when they get involved with us in ways that take our eyes off the road we want to travel. It’s like leaning a ladder up against a building in order to get to the roof, but only stepping on and off the first rung. We go forth and take the first step up, but then something happens and we step back down again to take care of it. Maybe we want to help someone else get something done, or hear something we want to clarify, or remember something we forgot. Back and forth we go, all the while staying busy but going nowhere. We can convince ourselves that because we are moving we are going forward but that isn’t always true. As long we let other things keep us from our goal, we’ll never get past the first rung.

There are a lot of reasons we lose our focus. Sometimes it’s because we aren’t sure we can accomplish the goal we’ve set. We want to, but may feel timid or afraid it might be too hard. We might make plans to go forward and even begin, but because we aren’t really sure we will succeed, are easily distracted and pulled away. We are naturally drawn to situations that make us feel comfortable. If the goal we want is stretching our abilities and we aren’t sure we can move forward, the discomfort of the unknown may move us toward something else. But we can be confident in any decision we make. We are certainly capable of doing anything we really want to do. We can be convinced we will succeed, and when we are, we will move forward. We can take the first step, and then the next, and the next, until we reach our goal.

They say timing is everything, and in a lot of situations that’s true. Sometimes we get stuck going back and forth and not moving forward because our lives aren’t in a place where we’re able to make the changes necessary. If we’re trying to change too much and it’s causing turmoil we can re-think our plan. We can look at the situation again, and determine if we need to wait. If we do, we can decide when we’ll try again, and set the goal aside for now. It doesn’t mean we’re giving up. It means we’re re-tooling to begin again later. We don’t have to accomplish everything today. There is time to get there, and when we’re ready and can successfully move forward, we will. There is no goal beyond our reach. With the proper planning and determination, we can accomplish anything.

Today if you’re frustrated because you haven’t moved forward with a goal you’re trying to achieve, take a look at all the parameters. Is this the best time to move forward? If it is, focus your eyes on the destination and do what is needed to get there. If you need to wait, think about when you can re-visit your plans and start again. There isn’t anything you can’t do. You are more capable than you realize. You can conquer anything. Make a plan that will work and take a step forward. The goal is within your reach. You will achieve it.

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Pave the Road

23 Nov

As we go through our lives we all have dreams and hopes for things we’d like to happen. But we get busy with everyday responsibilities and those things can get pushed back. Sometimes our lives interfere with our plans, and before we know it, days, weeks, months, even years can slip by and we find ourselves wondering how we got so far down the road and didn’t do what we intended to do. If we aren’t careful we may find ourselves living our entire lives and never accomplishing things we wanted to do. But if we are aware and focus on where we want to go, even if it means we have to wait a while, we can make sure we do everything. We can, even when we’re busy, set things in motion that will ensure we do what’s important to us.  We can begin to the pave the road before we’re ready to walk on it.

Paving a road takes several steps.  First the old pavement must be removed.  Once that’s done a base is laid as a foundation.  Finally the smooth finished layer is applied.  We can pave our personal roads in the same way.  First we may need to remove old patterns or behaviors that will allow us to begin.  Even if we’re busy doing other things we can work on that a little every day.  If what we want to do requires a skill we don’t yet have, we can prepare the foundation by doing what is needed to gain it. Perhaps a course of study is required, or someone to tutor us in the new skill.  Maybe what we want to learn can be gained by researching on our own.  Whatever it takes, once we’ve attained the new skills needed our base is ready, and we are prepared.  We can then go forward and make the change and achieve the goal by applying ourselves.

Learning new patterns, planning for change, and implementing new behaviors require time and effort. There is an old saying that anything worth doing is worth doing well. If we want to bring some effective change into our lives, we must plan to do it the best we can. Our dreams are never mediocre. When we dream of success in anything, we dream we’ll be great at it. Nobody hopes for average performance. When we want something more, something different, or something we yearn for, we want to do it well and master it. If we plan, and remember every single day where we want to go, we can pave the road.  When we’re prepared and ready we’ll reach the goal. We can do anything we want to do. There isn’t anything too difficult or too big for us. If we plan for it, if we prepare, and if we are consistent, we can achieve anything.

Today if you’ve been dreaming of a change you want to make but have been stuck, do one thing that will help you get closer to it. Begin to prepare, start the foundation, and focus on the goal. Be diligent and consistent in moving forward and you will not only succeed, but will master the task and be triumphant. You can do anything. There is nothing that can stop you. Open the door. You can see the road you want to be on.  Start paving.

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Step One

16 Nov

We have a lot of goals in our lives. There are many things we think about, things we want to do, and things we want to achieve. But having a goal is just the first step in accomplishing anything. Thinking about what we want to do is fine, but if we’re serious about achieving it, we have to do more. The famous French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” And that’s true. It’s fun to wish for things but if we want our wishes to become reality, we need to make a plan to accomplish them and then implement it. It takes action to succeed in anything. We can dream and wish and hope for things to happen, but nothing will ever change until we do something to make the change a reality.

When we seriously want something in our lives, we must do what it takes to get it. Sometimes it’s necessary to change what we’re used to or what we’ve been comfortable with.  Maybe we have to give up some free time, or we have to step out of our comfort zone and extend ourselves to those we don’t know. Maybe we have to let go of some long held fear. When what we really want means a great deal to us, we can make those sacrifices. But if we have to do something that scares us, or we’re intimidated by the process needed to get to the goal, it may take more courage than we initially anticipated. And then we’ll have to determine how much we want to succeed. If we really want to go forward, there is nothing that will stand in our way. We will do what it takes, no matter what that entails.

There is nothing we can’t do if we want to badly enough. There is no obstacle so large that it will prevent us from achieving our goal. We can do anything. But we must decide what we really want. They say we always do what we want to do most. That seems evident. If we say we want to change but keep doing the same things, the real truth is that we want things to stay the same. If we really want to change we have to embrace it and do what is needed to make it happen. If we keep doing the same things over and over again, change will never happen. Even if we talk about what we want to do, even if we think about it constantly, even if we dream about it, if we do nothing to change where we are, we will never achieve it.

Today if you’ve been dreaming about a change you want in your life, if you’ve been wishing for it and thinking about it, do one thing that will take you closer to it. Take the first step to start moving forward to the goal, and set a date to accomplish it. Then start doing what is needed to make it a reality. With every step you take you’ll be closer than you were before. You can do anything. Start now. There is nothing that will stop you or stand in your way. You have everything you need to succeed.

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Learning to Tuck

18 Sep

We have a lot on our minds every day.  When complications arise, we have even more to address, and it can be overwhelming.  Since we can’t do everything at once, it’s sometimes hard to address everything right away.  We may need to prioritize what we can handle at the moment, and tuck the other issues away until later.  There is sometimes the feeling that we have to do everything right away, or we aren’t doing enough, but that isn’t true.  It is proactive to manage our responsibilities and issues by taking care of the most important things now, and waiting to address the others until we have the appropriate time to manage them.  We are in charge of our lives, and we know what we can manage.  It’s wise to tuck the things that can wait aside until later.

What is the most important thing we must accomplish today?  If we think about that each morning before we start, and identify what we most need to get done, we are more likely to accomplish it.  In the busy responsibilities of daily life, our time can get away from us.  We may get carried away by additional tasks we hadn’t planned on, sometimes things go wrong that hold us up, and there may be complications caused by others.  Add to those the unexpected things that seem to always come up, and our days can get away from us.  If we just take things as they come, there’s a possibility we won’t complete what we need to, and feel disappointed at the end of the day.  But if we have identified what is most important for the day, we can focus on accomplishing it and have a better chance of success.

Tucking things away that can be put aside for a while is a useful tool, but we must ensure we actually go back and address them.  Some people make lists to remind them of things they need to do, some people put reminders in their smart phones or computer, and some people put sticky reminders out where they will see them.  If we are lucky enough to have an assistant, they may remind us of our pending tasks.  Whatever works most easily for us is what we should use.  Tucking things away doesn’t mean forgetting about them.  It just means delaying them for a time.  When we have the time, we need to address them and make sure we are timely in taking care of them.  If we do that, we’ll feel in control of our lives, and happy with our success.

Today if you are overwhelmed with things that need to be done, take a moment and determine what is the most important thing on the list.  Focus on that and tuck the other things away for a time.  You can accomplish a lot if you prioritize your concerns and take each as you can.  You are capable of managing your time and getting all your important tasks completed.  Use wisdom and remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.  There isn’t anything you can’t do.  Plan your work, and then work your plan.  You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

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