Get Out of Your Own Way!
“Part of my job is helping people get out of their own way.” - Joel Garfinkle
Have you ever felt like you weren't achieving what you wanted in life? Most of us have been there. The important question is: What stopped you? Or better yet: Who stopped you? If your answer is something like, “I didn't get it because of this or that,” or because someone or something didn’t help you, then you might be denying your own responsibility in achieving your goals. By doing so, you're literally standing in your own way, preventing yourself from getting the results you desire.
In life, we get one of two things: either the result we want or an excuse for why we didn’t get it. The real problem starts when we begin to believe our own excuses. Often, the hardest step in getting out of your own way is recognizing that you're in it.
Here are ten steps to help you move out of your own way:
1. Face the Facts: YOU might be the obstacle.
- When you encounter problems in reaching your goals, carefully consider if you're the source of those problems. Have you started to believe your own excuses?
2. You can do anything, but not everything.
- We often get in our own way by trying to do too much at once. Focusing on one or two projects at a time can increase your chances of success.
3. Focus for clarity.
- Once you know which projects to tackle, focus on what it will take to accomplish them. Create step-by-step plans for what to do and when.
4. If it’s in your head, it’s a dream. If it’s on paper, it’s a plan.
- Writing down your plans is the first step toward achieving your desires. It helps commit the plan to your subconscious and prevents distractions.
5. Activity doesn't equal progress.
- Working hard doesn't necessarily mean you're getting closer to your goals. Ensure you're taking the right actions at the right times.
6. Not choosing is a choice.
- Overthinking can lead to inactivity. Pondering options without making a decision is a choice to do nothing. Remember, doing nothing leads to nothing.
7. Focus on what will work.
- Instead of focusing on why something won't work, focus on why it will. Positive thinking can drive you to action.
8. If it’s not working, stop doing it.
- Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. If something isn’t working, stop, reassess, and try a new approach.
9. Seek help when needed.
- No one can know everything. When you're stuck, seek help from businesses, counselors, consultants, or coaches.
10. Do what makes you happy.
- Pursuing your goals should bring you joy, even if it's challenging. If it doesn’t, reconsider your goals or how you’re pursuing them.
Changing your mindset is possible with the right support and resources. I've changed a lot of my own self-talk, and I encourage you to assess your self-talk to see how it might be holding you back from being, doing, or having all that you can.
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