How can we know if we are on the right path to reach our goals and dreams?
Do we simply sense we are going in the correct direction? Do we let others direct us, like a travel agent from AAA? What if we are not sure what our destination even is? If you are anything like me, I can vacillate from one path to the other and seriously get off track. If you are anything like me, I can head off in several directions all at once and then lose sight of my final destination. Does this sound remotely familiar? Read on my friend, we are not so different. Maybe my experience can help you.
In the past, I have spent so much time planning my route that I never actually had time to execute it. I found myself spinning my wheels and feeling more and more frustrated by my lack of movement. Sometimes it was the dream process itself that held me back. Buried deep in my thoughts, I developed a kind of functional paralysis. Dreaming of my destination became the only step I was taking. It took some hard reality checks and and the mundane process of writing out my game plan that made me realize how far off the mark I had strayed.
I started with the heading, “What have I done to reach my goals this week”? That look back made me realize that not for mere weeks but months I had done nothing towards reaching my goals. What about my moto of “Start strong and stay strong”? I hadn’t started anything.
After I realized my quicksand paralysis, I began to dig myself out and get on the road. As the saying goes, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,”. I just needed to take that step. My first step was to admit and be honest about my lack of progress, indeed my lack of STARTING. After that, I was ready to move forward. I did not allow any time to beat myself up. Time itself had already done that. Standing still was humiliated enough for me, I certainly didn’t want to further complicate matters by telling myself what a slug I was.
The next step was planning out a short distance goal. Something doable, something accomplishable and something fun and energizing. I didn’t want my dreams to seem so far out of reach that I would stay STUCK. So…I planned my first step.
I like the analogy of our lives resembling a complex freeway system. The lanes crisscross, turn south, north east, and west. The wrong turn or missed exit can take you miles out of your way. Without some type of internal compass, it was impossible to predict if anyone was heading in the right direction. I know my strengths and I sure as heck know my weakness. Starting strong and fizzling out was not uncommon for me, What I knew for sure is that I did NOT want my past to predict my future. The difference HAD to be the road map I was about to devise.
Once I had my goals firmly planted in my mind once again, I could navigate the freeway system and get headed out towards achieving my dreams. First, I made a simple, weekly, doable goaL. Mapping out goals that were achievable and manageable gave me the courage to actually accomplish them. This blog is that first goal.
As I sat down in front of my keyboard, I felt that old inspirational feeling I felt when I first thought about writing blogs. I had let my daily life get in the way of managing and planning my path. No more procrastinating.
What is your weekly doable and achievable goal? Is it that phone call that needs to be done or that appointment that needs to be set up? Perhaps it will mean talking to family members and requesting help that finally allows you time to take those first initial steps to write down your goals and set a course for achieving those goals. Write your “what things can I do right now” to begin that journey? If you don’t know where you are going how can you determine if you are able to get there”
Next blog “How to get from step one to step two, three, and four towards achieving your goals.
Happy Dreaming!!
Teresa
lifecoachingfordreamers.com
email me at lifecoachingfordreamers@gmail.com