I know I have made some promises and goals that I want to attain. There is one catch - saying you're going to do something, even wanting to do it, are much different than actually doing them. It is not about laziness and procrastination (at least not all of the time); sometimes, it is about trying to figure out how to do it.
I have the best of intentions with my goals. I want to stop procrastinating and pushing people away, and I want to actually use my talents instead of letting them go to waste. But how do I go about fulfilling those goals?
It has been a big struggle the last couple of years trying to fulfill any of my goals. It's been a one or two step forward, two steps back kind of life. Every time I manage to set a goal, big or small, and start out trying to accomplish it, I either fall down or get pushed backward. I do it myself; I let others do it for me. Either way, I don't get very far. I end up trying over and over again to accomplish the exact same goals, with very little success.
To my credit, there are some goals I have made progress on. I may not have accomplished what I set out to - yet - but I have made progress. I keep saying that progress is good; after all, it is better than nothing at all, or worse yet, going backward. But why am I settling for progress instead of accomplishment? (Or maybe I'm not settling after all if it is still bothering me?) The how is the part that causes the procrastination, that causes the lack of progress, that causes the failure to see what progress has been made, or hasn't been made. So now, it is time to figure out the how and do more than make progress!
As I start this new year of my life, and a new week, I make myself a new promise: Progress is good, but it is not going to be good enough. From now on, I am not going to accept merely progress, but will work harder to gain accomplishment. No more procrastinating just for the sake of procrastinating, no more accepting less than what I set out to accomplish. No more excuses! It is time to stop the talk and do the walk. I need to accept that accomplishing my goals will take a lot of work on my part and stop allowing myself to see progress and think it will take care of itself from there. Nothing gets done unless the work continues. Nothing gets done without consistent and continuing effort.
For me, it means no more coming up with "reasons" (read as: excuses) not to do the work. No more thinking it will get easier if I wait it out. No more putting off the work until later. No more deciding it's not worth the effort it will require. No more. Do the work now! It will pay off a lot faster and there will be a lot less steps back to where I came from and where I want to get out of instead of letting it suck me back in because the work is "too much". It means sitting down and making an action plan so that I know what I have accomplished and what I haven't, what I want to still accomplish and what could stand to be changed. It means making a road map of where I want to go so that I know how to get there. It means doing the research and figuring out the how instead of just expecting the answers to come to me.
Now is the time to figure it out, not later!
Reminder to myself: It won't change or get better unless or until I make an action plan and follow through. Make the ultimate goal, set up the steps, do the work! Do it today, not tomorrow! It will not do itself. You can't accomplish a goal if you don't know how, and you won't know how unless you map it out and do the work.
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