Good Habits Keep Us Going
Raise your hand if you ROCK the mic at setting goals, then three months in find yourself saying something similar to “oh I realized that’s not really what I wanted to do” or “uggggh I had a few really tricky things come up so I felt like God was saying it wasn’t right for me.” Those are excuses and quite possibly fears manifesting themselves in self sabotage. I firmly believe God doesn’t care what you do as long as you glorify Him in whatever work you apply yourself to. He is missional and your work is exactly that. Missional, regardless of job title.
What actually happened is you spent some time getting in tune with what sets your heart on fire, set a goal to pursue that passion, but didn’t actually break it down into an actionable plan. That means you dreamt a dream then left it on the table to collect dust but then was shocked when it didn’t happen. That’s not mean, that’s truth coming from a two time dream chaser hashtag almost quitter. I’ve been there in the past and was there four weeks ago. Those goals are fueled by motivation. But when struggle comes and things don’t go your way, habits are what will keep you going long enough to see your dreams start to take shape.
If you don’t know who Steve Knox is, stop reading right this second, go to this website, sign up for his daily email, then come back and comment below with a “thank you.” You are SO welcome! He is one of the best business coaches and spits out rock solid truth that helps you stay focused and move the needle in the right direction. The week of Christmas he sent an email with a 90 minute exercise breaking down how to plan for the year. I left that 90 minutes with so much clarity and drive. It was such a wind of relief and comfort knowing I’m not broken, I just got a little lost in the dark. Per Steve:
“Step One: Write out your overall objective for the year. Start by free-writing an entire page about what you hope to achieve in 2020. Then trim that down to a singular paragraph. And, then edit it down one more time into a concise statement. Don't just write the statement. I know you'll be tempted to, but don't do it. Shortcuts in life end up costing you.
Step Two: Write out the top three to four objectives that will determine your success. These will serve as your non-negotiable areas of focus. Your strategic "must-do's". You might have ten things on your mind, but these are the top ones you absolutely must commit yourself to no matter what.
Step Three: Write out the key initiatives that support your top objectives. You'll want to be as specific as possible. Take your time here and don't let yourself off the hook. Think through what an ideal week would look like for you.”
Once you’ve done this work, you just need to map it out in your week. Carve out the time to do the things that will move the needle for you, your business, your home etc. Without a plan you will fail every time. I’m learning to love failure because it’s a wise teacher, but in that teaching I will tell you that unless you tweak what you’re doing, failing the same way is just laziness. Make a plan, implement change. Consistency forms habits and habits are the fuel that keeps you moving forward.
You deserve all you’re dreaming of! Do the initial work to set yourself up to get there.
xoxo
lauren