Progress Over Procrastination

Progress Over Procrastination

Making progress will get you there, one step at a time. People will procrastinate, just because they can’t take that one huge step to make things happen all at once. We all want the beach body and large amounts of money in the bank without putting in the work, but everything has to go through a process.

The way to make it happen is to take smaller steps. When you were a baby, you didn’t start walking immediately – you learned to scoot, roll, crawl and eventually walk. You were building a foundation by making progress.

Many people are stuck today because achieving their goals will take too much time. If it can’t be done in a day, it becomes mentally overwhelming and they quit altogether. The desire for instant gratification will have you living in your head, unable to move.

You have to “get out of your own way.” Sometimes, you are the cause of your own downfall. Don’t get caught sitting in the same place for the next ten years – use time wisely and start making progress.

Progress Is The Path To Success

Whatever you do, there’s a process involved. A doctor didn’t take one class before performing surgery. An athlete didn’t just wake up and have a machine for a body. No one has great knowledge without studying.

It takes time, but it’s the process you must go through. Within the process is where you make progress. Although it looks easy when someone else has already done it, if you want similar results, you also have to plan and go through your own maze.

Instead of doing something each day to enhance your growth, you prefer to do other things that are instantly satisfying. Waiting for your reward a month from now isn’t exciting at this moment, therefore, you procrastinate by watching TV, scrolling on your phone or avoiding what’s necessary.

Understand that there’s nothing wrong with doing those things, but it should not be the bulk of how you spend your time. If you think back, you can find wasted time when you should’ve been doing something productive. Now, the time has passed, but no progress has been made.

There’s a series of actions you must take in order to see results. No blueprint is the same – everyone has their own challenges and obstacles to overcome. It’s not hard – all you need to do is start and do something each day.

Time Keeps Moving

Time never stops moving. We unconsciously think that we have so much of it, but we really don’t know how much we have. It all seems so easy to accomplish in our minds, but how do we actually lay the groundwork to get there?

Time gives us the opportunity to make progress. Day by day, you can write down and track how far you’ve come (you’ll look back and be amazed). Those bricks suddenly become a building and that 500 piece puzzle suddenly becomes a clear picture.

That’s how you make progress in real life – little by little, day by day. The smallest tasks will ultimately contribute to the final goal. Be disciplined enough to work your plan and resilient enough to overcome the obstacles. Give yourself time and grace to see it through.

In order to run a 5K, you have to see the success in your mind and create a plan to perform your best. If you practice a little everyday for a month, your chances of completing it are much better than if you just practice the day before. Time is an enormous factor in seeing the results you want. You can’t skip the process if you want the best outcome.

Don’t ignore the fact that your tasks and goals need time to work out. It won’t happen with the snap of your finger. Some people quit ahead of time and become frustrated – others keep making progress until the project is done and they are rewarded in the end.

Time is going to pass, no matter what you’re doing. Would you want to waste it away by procrastinating and giving in to distractions? It would be best to maximize your efforts and use it to your advantage. Taking the time to go through the process will get you there. There’s no need to waste time thinking about it – just do it and keep going. You’ll end up starting one of the most amazing adventures of your life.

#TBT: If You Settle Now, You’ll Regret It Later

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Some people choose to settle for what they already have. It’s not such a bad thing, but know that you are capable of more.

As 2019 comes to a close, think about the goals you had in place to accomplish this year. All of the challenges and obstacles you faced have brought you to this point.

The end of the year is quickly approaching, but don’t let that stop you from making progress. It may be the end of the year, but as far as your goals are concerned, it’s not over.

Even if you’ve achieved way more than you thought you would, it’s no excuse to settle and coast these last few weeks – stay 5 steps ahead and finish strong.

What Happens If You Settle?

You may not have hit your target before the end of the year, but don’t beat yourself up over it. Take a look at where you are now, compared to this time last year.

There are new things you have learned on your journey. You may have even met some new people along the way. You’ve made it farther than you’ve imagined and that’s something to be proud of.

If you decide to settle and stop working towards your goal, nothing will happen. All of your hard work will have been for nothing. The most disappointing part is, you will live wondering what would have happened if you would’ve kept going.

Settling Is Comfortable

It’s easy to settle. You don’t have to spend any extra time and energy with all the thinking and being productive anymore. It feels rather comfortable and nice.

Some people are glad you stopped going so hard – now, you’ve made them feel comfortable, too. They don’t feel threatened by your ambition anymore and everyone is on the same level again.

This isn’t what really needs to happen. Actually, you should probably just take a break and then get back to taking action. Don’t be so quick to give up. Taking the easy way out may be convenient at the time, but don’t settle, just continue to be persistent. You’ll be glad you did in the end.

Your Potential Is Greater Than Fear

Many things will make you want to give up. It seems like nothing is working out and you’re just tired and ready to tap out. Distractions will present themselves as opportunities to quit.

You begin to think it’ll never happen. It may take longer than you thought. Maybe it’s time to cut your losses.

Actually, who knows how much longer it will be until you succeed? What if it happens tomorrow? How will you know?

The key is to keep going until you find out what happens. Allow your potential to light your path to the end. Remain positive and ignore the comforts of complacency.

Never Cheat Yourself

Other people’s success always looks simple. The fact is, you didn’t see them when they were going through the same struggle as you. You only see the results.

They wouldn’t have arrived at that outcome, had they settled. If they listened to their friends and family, they never would’ve seen those results.

Discipline, focus, a strong mindset and the ability to overlook the naysayers will give you the ability to finish strong. Whatever others say about you should not dictate how you feel or how you move. Realize that you’re more than that!

Never cheat yourself by settling. Keep going and see what’s in store. Work through your fear and the negative talk in your head. No matter how long it takes, it’s better than giving up and settling for nothing.

Forgive Yourself And Grow

Forgive Yourself and Grow

We never think to forgive when things go bad. Often times, our first instinct is to point the finger. We always bend towards the side of blame, in fear of being held wrongly accountable for whatever happened.

When things go wrong, no one wants to feel that pain or hold that burden. Handing it off to someone else gives us a temporary feeling of relief and comfort.

Instead of placing the fault on someone else (or yourself), try the opposite – forgive yourself and see it as an opportunity to grow.

Forgive Yourself And Others

This is a simple practice, but no one talks about it. Forgiving yourself is a key moment that allows you to grow. There’s no growth in avoiding responsibility.

Yes, we talk about taking responsibility, even when it’s not your fault. This is to move on, so you won’t be stuck and stagnant. Things happen, but someone has to have the courage to push things forward, even if the next step isn’t too clear.

Let’s take it beyond that – forgiving yourself. There are things that have happened in your life that you wish you could do differently. You blame yourself, but how do you move on from that?

Most people don’t move on – they keep replaying the “what-if” in their minds, trying to make it right. The guilt plays in a continuous loop, over and over in their heads and it begins to stifle their progress. What can you do?

You may not be able to change the past, but you can forgive yourself. At that time, you did the best you could do. The situation may not have even been your fault or in your control. There are a ton of factors that could play into you feeling sorry for yourself. If you can give energy to those type of thoughts, then you have the power to forgive.

Forgiveness is not only for others, it’s for you, too. We forgive those who did us wrong, because it gives us closure. Have you ever thought about giving yourself the same closure, so you can move on with your life? Let the emotions out, but instead of just dealing with it whenever it resurfaces, forgive yourself and let it go.

Growth Happens Here

Life is about growing. You deserve to take the next step, but you won’t be able to if you’re still carrying baggage from the past.

No matter how much it hurts or how bad it turned out, you can forgive yourself. Life can have a way of just happening, whether you are involved or not. The best way to deal with any kind of shame, remorse, guilt or disgrace is to forgive yourself.

Not only will it hopefully allow you to move forward with your life, but you will grow from it. Whether you are forgiving yourself or someone else, it lets you breathe. It frees you up from the negative emotions that have lived in your mental space for far too long.

Whether you do your best and fall short, or you experience life as it was given to you – forgive yourself. Beating yourself up won’t make you feel any better. Forgiveness grows you.

After you forgive yourself, smile. You’ve been holding yourself back because you feel you haven’t earned the right to live your best life. No matter how heavy life gets, we all deserve to live.

#TBT: 3 Things That Stop You Before You Start

#TBT: 3 Things That Stop You Before You Start

What’s stopping you from becoming the magnificent person you want to be? There are 3 things that stop you before you get started and today, you’ll get past those challenges to get on the right track!

When you look in the mirror, there’s no one else there but you. You are responsible for your life and what you tolerate. Own your life – the good things, the bad things, the mistakes – take control of it all.

What’s Stopping You?

  1. Other people. This is the most common culprit. We allow other people’s thoughts and opinions to direct our lives. If we do something that someone doesn’t like, we let it affect us. If someone else is having a bad day, we let it bleed over into our lives. Learn to separate your life from someone else’s. Your life is your own – don’t be so quick to hand it over to someone else. Have sympathy for others, but live your own life.
  2. Excuses. Stop giving yourself an out. Giving yourself an excuse to feel better gets you no where. The entire point is to improve yourself and to become great. You deny every chance of your growth when you give excuses. Life may happen, but there’s still an opportunity to work around it. You can still choose to wake up earlier or stay up later – eat clean or eat junk food – save a few dollars or spend all you have. It all comes down to choosing an excuse or choosing that extra push.
  3. Your inner voice. It’s not too late. You’re not too old. Just because it didn’t happen when you were 12, doesn’t mean it can’t happen when you’re 52. Don’t kill your own dreams. Anything can happen at any time. The negative chatter in your mind was put there by someone else, but you have to let it go. It only holds you back from your limitless potential. Every time you hear that negative inner voice, chase it with a positive answer.

Let’s Get It Started

Commit to yourself and your future. No one can stop you unless you allow them to stop you. Get out of your own way and make progress.

Anything can happen, but you must decide to start and take action, one step at a time. Don’t get used to turning down what you really want to do, just to satisfy someone else.

Distractions will pull your attention away from your plan. Do what it takes in order for you to be productive and move forward. Your focus will ultimately drive you towards your desired goal, so concentrate on what’s important and do your best to get it done.

The Final Outcome

Own your life without feeling guilty. It’s okay to say ‘no’ to others, so you can get started working on yourself. In the end, you are the only one accountable for your results – it’s in your hands.

Give yourself permission to start. Stop thinking that other people are right when it comes to your goals. Protect your mindset and step into your confidence. Success is earned by those who have the courage to start and focus on their plan.

Your Achievement Is The Reward

Your Achievement Is The Reward

Growing up, we did things because there was a reward involved. It motivated us to complete a task, while teaching responsibility. “If you make your bed every morning, I’ll give you a puppy!” Do you need a “puppy” to bribe you into creating good habits that are beneficial to your life?

Although prizes are exciting and fun to work towards, the actual reward is the fulfillment of the goal. Making your bed every morning gives you the satisfaction of coming home to a welcoming and comfortable place to sleep (some people don’t have that).

Having something to motivate you to take action is great, but what happens when there is nothing to push you?

See Beyond The “Prize”

Just about everything has some sort of reward attached to it – the Super Bowl trophy, a scholarship or even BOGO (buy one, get one free) purchases.

Whether it’s sports, academics or marketing, there is something there to incite action in order to make you move. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, but the challenge comes when you’re looking for a reason to do everything.

Why work for something if there is no reward? There are some people who think they must receive something in return for everything they do. This soft way of thinking is what keeps them stuck and unable to improve.

In some instances, it works to get everyone on the same page and going in the same direction (mostly when teaching kids). When you offer a prize, it promotes competition and stimulates thought. As you mature, you should see the value and gratification within the process and that should be enough.

You don’t need a cookie when you ace the spelling test or a weight loss trophy when you lose twenty pounds. The satisfaction of achieving the goal is the reward. It says that you are on the right track and you’re getting better at it.

What happens after you eat the cookie or break the trophy? Nothing. Your accomplishment is still valid. A “prize” does not make your hard work and results any less credible.

You Are The Reward

Rewards are nice, but not necessary. Living as if the world owes you something is certainly a path to disappointment. It’s much more satisfying to truly know your own abilities, instead of having to prove it to someone else for a “treat”. Do it because it’s right or because it stretches your limits – do it for you.

When you are successful, there is no physical trinket that can erase what you’ve done. You’ll always be the best at what you can do, whether there is something to show for it, or not. Personal satisfaction is the ultimate achievement. Don’t depend on rewards to get you through life – they won’t always come.

Adjust your mindset to taking on tasks and goals, just to achieve them. The fact of knowing that you can do something extraordinarily well is the greatest reward you can give yourself. You don’t have to look for anyone to give you some sort of praise – it’s already inside of you.

#TBT: Waiting Won’t Make It Happen Any Sooner

Waiting Won't Make It Happen Sooner

We spend our lives waiting on things to happen at the right time. Although obstacles occur at the worst possible moment, there are some things we can take responsibility for, so we can improve certain situations as we move forward.

People have their own challenges that they are fighting through. Waiting for help or for someone to save you is counterproductive. You can either waste time and wait, or spend it wisely and make your own progress.

Procrastination Is Hesitation

Procrastination presents itself in many different forms. Just about anything negative comes from, or leads to procrastination.

“I’ll do it Monday – I’m too tired – it’s raining…” are examples of the excuses we give ourselves to put things off. Some may be valid reasons, but for the most part, we’re justifying our laziness by creating convenient explanations, so we won’t have to follow through.

Making excuses makes us feel better – we don’t have to think any further or take any specific action at that moment. The excuse allows you to procrastinate and put off opportunities that may have been on the horizon.

There are times where you’re certainly unable to do something at that very moment – this a reason, more so than an excuse. When you have a reason, it’s not a challenge to you because you know you’ll do it. An excuse is wiping something off of your plate, just to move on to something else or to prevent taking action due to fear.

Instead of putting it out of your mind and depending on your brain to remind you later (later never comes), set a deadline. “I’ll start Monday” can happen, but only if you begin to prepare to begin on that day. Don’t lie to yourself – make a decent effort to follow through and start.

Don’t Wait, Make It Happen

Waiting for something to happen is completely out of your control. Who are you waiting for? What if it never happens?

Other people may or may not have your best interest at heart, but that doesn’t matter. You are responsible for what you can control and that’s the bottom line.

Depending on the system (or anyone else) to come through for you is unreliable. Take people’s concern for you with a grain of salt. Don’t be disappointed if they aren’t there for you – it’s not their responsibility.

Taking control of your habits allows you to direct the outcome of your life. If you eat a balanced diet, you’re moving towards better health. Other factors may be involved, but you are pointing yourself in the right direction to get the best results. Waiting on a new diet fad won’t help you now.

Even through all of the mistakes, obstacles and setbacks, you can always go back to the drawing board and enhance your strategy. If there’s a possibility for you to make it better, do it. Giving up or moving forward is your choice.

It’s better to be prepared than it is to wait on someone or something to help you. When going through certain situations, think 5 steps ahead. Prepare for what might happen, so you can be ready to take care of it. As they say, you must stay ready, so you won’t have to get ready.

Be proactive with your life. Make that phone call, walk that lap, save ten dollars – it doesn’t matter what it is. Build the habit, put action towards it and get the ball rolling. If you’re unable to control the circumstances, do your best and move on to what you can control. It’s better to go ahead and start, than it is to procrastinate by waiting on someone else.

Success Waits For No One

Some people wait on the right time and place for magic to happen in their lives. This doesn’t work because they’ll be waiting forever. Do what you can and stop making excuses to start.

Own your future. Whatever happens, take responsibility for it and move on with a positive plan. Success doesn’t just happen to anybody – you have to make it happen. Give it a push, adjust it along the way and the opportunities will come. When they do, you’ll be ready because you didn’t wait.

#BeGoalden

Being Confident Is The Path Of Progress

Being Confident Is The Path Of Progress

“I know I can do this.”

What keeps us from being confident about ourselves? The majority of people think of the negative before they think of the positive.

You were born into this world with the natural gift of ambition. As a kid, you didn’t know that ambition was a ‘thing’ because it came without effort. As you became older, you began to see that the outside world had slowly taken that gift away from you.

If you still have a kick-ass attitude about your goals in life, congratulations! You are one of the few that kept it moving, no matter what others said or thought about you.

There are some of us who may need a little help in the area of high self-esteem. Some call it arrogance and some call it confidence. Whatever it is, how you think of yourself has a direct effect on your life.

Listen To Yourself

It sounds terrible, but secretly, there are some people who want you to fail. They want you to stay on the same level with them and not improve in your life.

If you make constructive progress towards anything, they’ll give you negative feedback – “You’ve changed. What makes you think you can do that? Who do you think you are?”

Understand that some people are afraid of success, but don’t be a supporter of this belief. They’re so scared to try something, simply because they don’t want to fail in front of others. Therefore, they dish out the insults to those who are brave enough to make attempts.

Anyone could be this person – a parent, sibling, best friend, co-worker or even a teacher. They may think they are saving you from being hurt, but they are really keeping you from your potential. It’s up to you to see through this and keep moving forward.

It’s easy to fall into their trap, because you want to be accepted. No one wants to be embarrassed, criticized or shamed in front of others. If this is the environment that you are in, it’s time to make some changes. It can be draining hanging around complacent people, but it’ll be even more draining living a nonproductive life with no goals or results to show.

Meet new people, go different places and have new experiences. Expose yourself to the things that you’ve always wanted to do. As they say, you’re not a tree – get unstuck and move.

Be Confident

If people tell you that your dreams are impossible, you’re on the right track. Your mindset has a tremendous effect on how you navigate your path to success.

People will step all over your dreams and tell you ten different ways of how and why it won’t work out. Instead of building their own dreams, they use that energy to destroy yours. The secret is – you don’t have to listen.

It may be difficult at first, but you have to get your mind right in order to become the person you’re meant to be. Go inside of yourself and create the confidence and focus you need to follow and complete your goals.

Don’t think “Maybe this won’t work” – think “I’m going to make it work.”

Don’t think, “I’m not good enough,” – think “I am going to be the best at this!”

Don’t think, “What if I don’t make it?” – think, “I won’t give up until it’s done.”

Don’t think, “What will they say?” – think, “I’m going to make myself proud!”

How you think of yourself means everything. If it takes saying affirmations everyday, meditating, listening to inspirational songs or watching motivational videos, then do it! Everything doesn’t work for everybody, but you have to find what’s right for you (not what they say is right for you).

Decide how you want to live your life – do you want to be courageous and see how far you can go or do you want to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else play?

You have a contribution to make to the world. It may not be big by some people’s standards, but we all can make a dent in the universe. Never allow anyone to stop you from thinking highly of yourself and your abilities.

#TBT: Are You Cheating Yourself?

What do you do when no one is looking? Are you the same person? Do you sneak an extra cookie? Do you skip putting money into your savings?

Your character and integrity are best defined as what you do when no one is looking. Some of us have the same, disciplined demeanor, as if someone is watching us all of the time. Others of us, think a little differently.

What Are You Doing?

When you have a goal, everyday can be a challenge. The plan to make it to the next level can be trying, especially if you’re doing it alone.

No one may be watching, but you know what you’re doing. Your guilty conscious will reprimand you with the quickness. It hurts just as bad as getting caught by someone else.

Why Cheat?

Most people cheat themselves for one of two reasons: either they’re a bad person, or they don’t believe in their own abilities.

The first reason is obvious. There are just some bad people in the world and they seem to always have a ‘better idea’ about how to do something. They will take every chance they can to get over, not realizing that they’re only creating a negative pattern for themselves.

The second reason has to do with limiting beliefs. You think that you’re unable to perform at a decent level, so you cheat. This only drives you further into your own disbelief about yourself, because you’ll feel even worse after you’ve cheated.

Bet on yourself and have confidence. Confidence won’t allow you to cheat yourself. You can do anything, as long as you stick to the plan and respond accordingly to any situation. Know that you can do it, even if it doesn’t work out the first time.

Always Do The Right Thing

Even if no one is there to make sure you are acting within your responsibilities, you should want to do the right thing. That’s what makes you dependable and trustworthy.

So many people will try to cut corners and get away with things that they know are wrong. They may think they’ve figured out a better way, but life doesn’t work that way. It may appear to work for the moment, but it all works against you in the end.

When You Cheat, You Suffer

You may feel that eating one more piece of cake won’t matter. Or spending your savings won’t hurt.

In both cases, you may not see the effects of it at that moment, but it will come back to haunt you. When you get on that scale and you gained, instead of losing weight. Or, when your water heater breaks down and you’re stuck microwaving tap water to take a shower (good luck with that).

Don’t suffer your own consequences. We are all fully aware of what’s right and what’s wrong. Whether you do it in front of someone, or by yourself, it doesn’t matter – always act with integrity.

The End Result

Be level-headed. Don’t let little things tempt you to take shortcuts. It’s almost, always, never worth it.

We only have so much control in our daily lives, so why make it harder on ourselves by cheating? If you do things right the first time, you won’t have to suffer the outcome later.

Use your energy for good. Be consistent with your attitude and actions, inside and out. Besides – you never know who’s watching.

#BeGoalden

Thoughts and Lessons On Life

Thoughts and Lessons On Life

Life won’t always be fair.

If it’s worth pursuing, keep going.

At the same time, know when to move on.

Be patient. Sometimes, you have to wait.

Do it now, so you won’t regret it later.

Be the best version of yourself, everyday.

What do you think?

Don’t allow fear to keep you stagnant.

If you get uncomfortable, don’t worry. Growth is happening.

Made a mistake? Learn the lesson.

Think two steps ahead.

The obstacle is there to help you, not harm you.

Nothing will happen unless you move.

Be kind. It could turn someone’s life around.

If you have the ability to think, you have the ability to do it. Take the limits off.

It’s important to be helpful, but you must first help yourself.

Don’t be easily offended. No one is the same. We all have different perspectives.

Forgive yourself and move on.

Forgive others and move on.

Hold yourself accountable. Don’t depend on someone else to make you do it.

Be responsible with your words and actions.

Be aware of what you let into your mental environment and who you let into your physical environment.

Take the time to do something new.

It won’t always go your way. Learn to adapt and adjust.

Be intentional with your life.

There is no such thing as the perfect time.

Never outsource your thinking to others.

Be truthful with yourself.

Let it go.

Put yourself in the best position.

Resilience is key.

Instead of instantly reacting, thoughtfully respond.

Avoid distractions in all forms – it slows down progress.

There won’t always be an audience. Clap for yourself.

Give yourself the gift of rest. Take time away from your digital devices.

Be present. You won’t ever get this time back.

No blaming or complaining – find a solution.

As long as you breathe, there is always a chance.

You live and you learn. Never stop living and most of all, never stop learning.