Can you believe that one month of 2021 is over? Done. Gone. Already!
Time out everyone.
One month down, let’s stop for a minute and think about what is going on and where we are going. In sport, a time out is a break in the game for a rest, and to plan what to do next. Last month seemed to fly by. It may have been a great month for you. Or perhaps it was a frustrating month where you felt like you were making no progress. Either way, take this moment to reflect.
Did you make New Year’s resolutions this year? Did you set any goals? How are they going? The first month of this year has already gone, and if you didn’t achieve what you wanted to then I feel for you. But the good news is this is a new day and a new month. Each new day is a fresh opportunity to engage with our goals, to take the next step on the path to achieving them. Taking a time out at a time like this allows you a chance to pause and reflect. Think about where you are, what you might need to do differently, and what that next step is to get where you want to be.
What might be holding you back? I often find the root of my inertia is fear. Fear has a paralysing effect on us, particularly when it comes to thinking. One month has gone, but the question to focus on is, ‘do I still want to achieve what I set out to at the beginning of the year?’
Perhaps fear has got in your way. What is your biggest fear at the moment?
“Whether showing up is as simple as going to work or as complicated as starting a new business, we will never be able to face and overcome our giants until we learn how to show up.” Leif Hetland, Giant Slayers
Leif is alluding to the story of a lad called David who overcame a giant-of-a-man called Goliath. The odds were stacked against him, but he did something that no-one else in the army did. He showed up. He stepped up. He used his past experiences fighting a lion and a bear to leverage his current situation.
The truth is that our fears are often groundless. If you haven’t made as much progress with your goals as you had hoped, then dig in and keep going. Remember we only fail when we give up. It may be that you need more clarity about what you are going after or a more realistic timeframe in which to achieve it. The reality is that a goal gives our minds something to aim for and it will actively look for ways to achieve our goals even sub-consciously.
We have to be careful who we listen to, whose feedback we take on board. There are many who will say our goals can never be done. They often don’t have the courage to get in the arena themselves. They don’t have skin in the game. If courage for you is simply showing up to work today, or if it’s taking the plunge to start something new, then be encouraged (in courage). Many start and never finish. Keep going.
Yes, one month of this year is gone. However, today is a new day full of new opportunities. Review, revise or maybe set new goals. Get the clarity you need to refine them, but don’t give up. Keep moving forward because your unique contribution is just what the world needs.
“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
– Harriet Beecher Stow
Stay Safe.
