Are you stuck? Think about it. Be honest with yourself. And with me. I’ll wait.
Do you find yourself essentially in the same place where you started a few months or even years ago?
Have your good intentions to pursue a different career, improve your health, etc. generated little in the way of real change? Are you too caught up in the day-to-day grind to pivot towards something else? Or are you paralyzed by an unknown tomorrow?
Been there, done that. I have a few of the t-shirts.
If you’ve thought or talked about creating a different life for yourself you can take action today in spite of your circumstances. You can make different choices for yourself immediately and here are the reasons why:
1) Time waits for no one.
Seriously, tick tock. Each day that you hesitate and fail to do something (anything) in support of your goals means that the realization of your dreams will be delayed – maybe even deferred. And we all know what happens to a dream deferred. Nothing nice.
The sooner you start, the faster you can gain momentum. The most challenging aspect of making any kind of change is often taking the first step. Time will, however, move on whether you act or not. Nothing is worse than thinking “why didn’t I do this years/months/weeks ago?” Simply begin. Create your goals, map out your initial plans and most importantly, execute. There is no time like the present. Start today.
2) Action brings clarity.
As is the case with many high achievers, you may not want to act until you are absolutely clear about what you want to do and how you want to do it. Ironically, action can actually provide some of the clarity that you seek.
Once you begin to explore and assess the possibilities you may need to refine or even completely alter your trajectory, but you won’t likely know that this is the case until you are in motion. Remember, the goal is progress rather than perfection. Take action.
3) Small shifts matter.
While you may long for dramatic updates in your life, know that small shifts over time can add up to deliver pretty incredible results. In the interim, recognize that incremental changes can still move you ahead. Focus on changing your behavior in subtle but sustainable ways to reach your goals. Consistency is key.
4) Progress builds confidence.
Once you recognize that you are making progress and truly making changes that propel you forward, you’ll gain more confidence in your ability to take responsibility for and ownership for your life. Take a moment to celebrate your achievements along the way as growth as change isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition.
5) Fear is inevitable.
The odds that you will skip off cheerfully into the future without an ounce of trepidation are slim-to-none. If you are afraid, it is confirmation that you are human and that you actually care about doing things differently. Focus on moving forward in spite of fear rather than being fearless. Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but instead the willingness to forge on towards your goals. So be afraid and take action anyway.
So what is the holdup? You have everything you need right now, there is no need to ‘get ready’ to make progress. If you truly desire change, then commit to making new things happen for yourself now. You are ultimately in control. No need to wait, focus on execution and move forward to claim the life you want to create (and live it to the fullest)!
Engineer Your Bliss Challenge: What will you commit to change in your life right now? Let me know on Facebook.