My husband has a truck that doesn’t do very well in the winter on our snowy roads. It slides, fishtails and gets stuck. However, if we stack the back with bags of rock salt, there is enough weight for the tires to engage, and he can get the traction he needs to keep going.
Do you have areas in your life where feel like your wheels are spinning and that you are stuck in a rut?
Three slippery contributors to staying stuck are:
1. Complacency: Things are “good enough.” We get lulled into the day-to-day grind. We’re busy, but not really concerned whether or not the direction we are going is where we ultimately want to go.
2. Procrastination: We’ll do it later. It never seems to be the optimal time to make a change. We think it will be easier after the holidays, after a project is over, or next month. Before you know it, years have gone by.
3. Being overwhelmed: Change is hard work. We might not know what to do, or how to do it. Sometimes it is just plain easier to slip back into our comfort zone.
However, there is a relentless voice telling us we can be more that we are exhibiting. Deep down we know what we should do and what we should avoid. When we listen to and follow that voice, even though it might be hard, we have positive movement toward our desired objective and we ultimately feel joy.
When we ignore the voice and succumb to fear, distraction or complacency, we eventually feel regret.
While change is hard, like the bags of rock salt, structure provides weight to give you traction. Load up. The more structure you have, the less discipline you need.
Structures to set up your environment for success:
1. Remove temptations: Willpower alone doesn’t cut it. It is exhausting to be constantly resisting temptations. Wherever possible, remove them. If you are on a diet, get rid of that bowl of candy on your desk. If you are trying to stop drinking, stop going to the bar with your friends. If you are trying to finish a project, and every time you walk by the TV you are tempted to turn on Netflix, work in another room.
2. Have a plan: Decide what you want, and figure out what needs to happen to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Give yourself a deadline.
3. Take action: Daily small, manageable steps break the inertia and start building momentum.
4. Get support: You may want to seek help from a coach, talk to an expert, or sign up for a support group. Let your friends and family know how they can help you. Limit your time with people who pull you down.
5. Be aware: Pause. Notice what is working, what isn’t, and what you need to do differently. Pay attention to what triggers you to go off track, and have a plan for avoiding or handling these triggers.
While each of us has our own unique potential, it is easy to get complacent, to procrastinate or to get overwhelmed and slide off our road to success. Avoid the regret of another unrealized dream, and create an environment that can provide the traction for your success. Remove temptations, have a plan, take consistent action, and get support. Get in the habit of pausing and noticing if your actions are conducive to where you want to be, and relish the joy that comes from choosing success.
Pamela Adams Henrie is the owner of The Success Choice and creator of “The Woman’s Success Planner” and “The Choosing Joy in the Journey Journal.” For more information, or to contact Pamela, log on to her website at TheSuccessChoice.com.
Originally published on The Daily Hearld’s MomClick Sept 16, 2015
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