I often get people who reach out to me on Instagram and share things like “my life just feels so stagnant” or they ask, “how come I’m not able to see progress…no matter how many goals I set, how many times I try, what strategies I use…I still feel like my life has remained the same.” And here’s the thing. My heart always goes out to them because I know what that’s like!
True Story:
I’ve been there, done that!
For years I would create elaborate plans and have big dreams and things that I wanted to achieve. I would write out exactly how I wanted to get there, but when it came down to it I would never follow through and take the steps to make it happen (at least not consistently). So my commitment to my new goal(s) would only last for a couple of days then once I lost my stride, I would tell myself the lie that I had to start over! It was like the effort I put in before didn’t count. Maybe you can relate?
This is why I can totally understand what you mean when you say “My life feels stagnant.” And I absolutely understand the pressure that comes with feeling like every time you go after your goals, you’re starting from scratch, hoping this time will lead to your big break!
Is This Actually True?
Beliefs vs facts:
Let’s take a look at this belief. Maybe you’ve fallen into the trap of thinking this is what it looks like to succeed (you fail and start over) but here’s the thing, how do you expect to achieve your goals, move your life forward, and do all the things that you desire to do if you’re not willing to pick up where you left off and continue your race whenever you fall off course? You know what I mean? How will you take your life to the next level if you’re not willing to complete the level that you’re at right now?
If you keep believing the lie that inconsistent effort is not progress and because of this you need to map out a new plan, try a new strategy, or work at things from a different angle then how do you expect to create any momentum?
This Happens All The Time
Maybe you’re in this boat?
Here’s what I see a lot of people do. They get started on a specific strategy. They say, “Hey, I’m going to go after my goal and this is the strategy I’m going to use.” When they make a mistake with that strategy, they move on to trying another one. But they haven’t given their first strategy enough time to evolve and become what it needs to be in order to produce results.
Then they go and try a bunch of different strategies, apply different ideas, listen to a ton of different podcasts, read as many books as they can find on the topic, watch a bunch of YouTube videos, talk to a bunch of people, and gather a ton of ideas, and then try to formulate it into one big strategy.
Then when none of that works, they come and say, “My goal is too hard…It’s not for me…Maybe it wasn’t meant to be…I don’t know what I’m doing…I need help!” But the truth is that they haven’t actually fully applied the knowledge that they have in order to see any fruit come from it. They haven’t stuck with one goal long enough to really get results.
Here’s My Challenge For You
If this is something that you’ve done in the past, here’s what I want you to do! Over the next 3 months focus on ONE goal, create a plan for how you will execute, break it down so it makes sense and allows you to hit your targets weekly, and then here’s the big part…FOLLOW THROUGH on that plan NO MATTER WHAT!
If you fall off course get up and try again. If you get lazy and stop doing it for a few weeks, get up and pick up where you left off. If you lose track of where you are that’s okay just keep going! Martin Luther King Jr has a quote saying, “If you can’t fly then run if you can’t run then walk if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
Your plan will work if you work it. Doing something for a few days, weeks, or months is not working your plan. You got to give yourself time to grow, make mistakes, and work through the kinks. The fastest (and easiest) way to do this which is something I teach all of my clients, and practice with my personal and business goals is by using a 90-day framework.
Quarterly Goals
Why they work
90-day goals provide a vision that is just far enough into the future for you to be able to take action because you know exactly what your next step is so you can take inspired action right now with confidence that no matter what happens things will work out. You can be bold and, ale the most of your time because you only have a short period of time to create traction. 90-days helps you get rid of all the non-essential activities so you can focus on the ones that actually produce results.
Minimize Risks:
You also get to take risks that aren’t so risky! You’re not laying everything on the line and jumping right off the cliff. You’re only taking baby steps to your destination. This means you’re not stretching yourself so much (putting too much on your plate) that it feels impossible to achieve. You’re not putting everything on the table thereby causing you to lose everything (investing a lot of money upfront, working on a ton of projects at once, etc). This process helps you to stretch yourself just enough to get to the next step.
Gives You Purpose:
With this process, you create clear targets that help you to not only get better on a consistent basis but also help you lean more into your purpose! Most people have no idea why they’re here. They ask themself “What’s the point of my life?…Why am I here?” because deep inside, we know that we’re made for more than just waking up, going to work, chilling with friends, getting married, having kids living and creating this “picture-perfect life”. And the picture of perfection that we hold (whatever it is) is usually a lie we’ve been sold. We get older and check all of these things off the list only to realize it’s not actually our definition of success or fulfillment. It’s not aligned with our heart’s desire!
Create Progress Faster:
With 90-day goals the things you want to achieve become attainable! They don’t feel like distant or hard to attain results that are for some time in the future. They are not hard to attain. You don’t feel like you’re climbing a huge mountain just to get to the finish line. You get to enjoy the journey to the goal because you know it’s right around the corner. In the next 90-days, you’ll have progress, achieved a milestone, and be on your way to success by your definition!
When my husband was in elementary school during an assembly they had a speaker come in to teach about life. He took out $5 from his wallet and started waving it around the gymnasium, asking the kids, “Who wants this?” And as you can imagine all the kids raised their hands and started yelling “Me, me, me, me, me, I want it, I want it, I want it.” And he was holding it right in front of them, dangling it, asking, “Who wants this $5?”
Everyone even the teachers were saying, “I want it, give it to me!” so you can imagine the commotion that’s happening in the gym as all these kids are shouting and waving their hands and everybody’s reaching for it. Then finally, one of the teachers actually got up from where they were sitting, walked up to the front of the gymnasium to the stage where the speaker was standing, and took the $5. The speaker was said, “There you go!” That’s how you get what you want in life! The was the whole point of his message was if you want to get something, you get up and get it.
Insanity Is Doing The Same Thing Over & Over Again
Change What You’re Doing
So if you feel like your life is stagnant, all you got to do is change it, make a decision to do something differently, because what you’re doing right now is not producing the results that you want or taking you down the path that you want to go down. Instead of continuing down the wrong path or continuing down an unproductive or unhealthy way of life, why not choose to make new decisions that are in your favor, are healthy for you, and help you create the life and results you dream of? There’s nothing getting in the way of your success. Even the gap that you feel is there between you and your goals. Doesn’t actually exist!
The gap is in your mind. And because you continue to hold fast to that gap, you haven’t made the transition that’s going to help you to get to cross the bridge, to get to where you want to go. And here’s the way that you nullify that once and for all, understand that the only thing standing in between you and your dreams is you. So if you want a specific result in your life, all you have to do is align yourself.
Alignment Over Hustle
Align your character, thoughts, behavior, habits, and yourself with the dreams that you have. Here’s an example, if you desire to run a successful business, and right now you’re working on nine to five. What are the things that you need to do to align yourself with the vision that you’re creating?
The Vision:
First, you need to understand what it looks like to run a successful business. Then you can get busy creating that vision and organizing your business so that it aligns with where you want to go. This is a principle that allows you to hit your target faster and always leads to exponential growth!
Being Vs Becoming
This is not about trying to become something or fake it till you make it. It’s about actually being the kind of person you decide you’re going to be. You’re not bridging a gap or walking towards a destination. It’s about living in the destination now. Hit play for a full breakdown on how to do this and what it actually looks like in our day-to-day life.
Here’s The Morale of The Story
When it comes to your goals, you can have these big dreams and aspirations. But until you align yourself with the vision and become the disciplined person that you need to be to create the results you want to see, you’re not going to experience it. It will forever remain an idea in your mind or a dream that you desire to achieve one day but because you’re unwilling to grow you won’t get there.
If you want help finishing what you start then jump into my free mini-course that you can complete in less than 1 hour, and I give you all the steps from A to Z to set and achieve your goals with purpose. You can head over here to learn more! And until next time trailblazer, I love you and I mean it! Stay connected on the gram!
