Don't talk about it, be about it, that's a catchy phrase I would say to a couple of girlfriends as we prepared to work on a mutual friend’s wedding arrangements. The phrase became sort of joke phrase to me and them that during our time together during that period. Anyone who knows me well, are familiar that I can be a little over the top as it relates to getting things done and I can be very particular in how the outcome should be. For one, setting goals, planning, organizing, and timeliness in my opinion, are of the utmost importance in event planning and time management.
I would freak out if things were not done a certain way. Do you know how much stress I caused myself? Boy, now I've learned what the elders meant by "as you live, you learn". For me, time brought about a change, I no longer have that unnecessary urge anymore to want things done my way or no way at all. I've learned literally not to sweat the small stuff in life. Now, that doesn't mean I don't have as plan, I do. But what I've come to realize is life's takes on certain twists, turns and transitions that are out of our control. I can choose to be flexible and pivot accordingly or freak out as if the sky is falling. Hey, and guess what, not a thing is going to change because of my angst and anxiety.
So, what do you do when what you've been working tirelessly on a goal and the plan changes? Here are a few suggestions to consider helping get you back on track.
1. Relax remember there is a power higher than you who knows what's best for you.
2. When you submit to the higher power you begin to realize no matter how you strategize, what's for you is for you and will work out for your good, no glitch in the plan, no shift in the process, nothing can stop the final outcome.
3. Be consistent, continue working on your goals. This one is pretty self-explanatory. Do something regularly, daily towards reaching your goal. Remember it’s your vision, not anyone else’s so you have to nurture it.
4. Set measurable, attainable, and realistic due dates of when you expect to achieve the goal. For instance, I plan to publish my next book by March 30, 2022. Therefore, I will write daily for an hour to two hours to attain my goal. Once I set those goals, I can hold myself accountable, by asking the question, did I write today? I make my goals attainable by getting the realistic help I need to know how to write. Do I need to take a Master Class of some sort, do I need an editor, do I need a mentor? In other words, what do I need to help me reach my goals? These are my examples. Make yours specific to your own goals.
5. Stay on track and alleviate all distractions. Unfortunately, this requires some self-assessment, it could mean you have to distance from family, friends, social media, negative thoughts, and so on. Get rid of the distractions. So, what if it doesn't go entirely the way you planned it. Get up, brush yourself off and keep going. Overall, when you commit to setting goals for yourself, you're more likely to recognize when to say "NO" to external influences that have nothing to do with helping you accomplish your goals.
Remember, anything worth having is worth working towards…put in the work, and in due time you will reap the harvest from your labor. This is a marathon not a sprint. Let’s go!