We’re programmed to believe it’s very difficult, and takes a ton of work to accomplish next level success. I used to believe the same, but have recently changed my opinion. Most believe the difficulty comes from all the work needed. In my opinion, this “work” is easy. It’s time consuming, but easy because … (wait for it) … I love it!!
I learned a long time ago that passion for what we do makes everything easier. The frustration for me hits when I think it’s taking longer than I want to accomplish my goals. Patience is difficult for me, constant work and long hours are easy. Because I have this type of mindset, I tend to focus on the challenge, rather than the setbacks.
I was recently working on a project that was taking longer than expected, mainly due to problems that were totally out of my control. Frustration temporarily set in because I didn’t have control over the issue. The difficulty with this specific situation wasn’t in the long hours I was putting in, but instead the hours that I was being forced NOT to work.
The work is easy. The decisions are easy. Creating a plan is easy. Not having control is tough.
Happy New Year! The question usually asked next is about new year’s resolutions. This question will never come out of my mouth, because I don’t believe in them. It’s become such a watered-down, half-hearted exploration, they don’t mean anything, long term. Instead of focusing on resolutions, put your energy towards commitments. What committed decisions will you make in 2012? What type of emotion do you want to feel on a daily basis this year?
Resolutions are like diets. They’re exciting at first, but slowly fade because alone, they mean nothing. Let’s get rid of the middle man … in this case, the new year’s resolutions. Instead, concentrate on your motivation and plan of attack you need to create. What does your map look like? Making this your focus will keep momentum flowing towards your goals.
If you need to adjust your 2011 plan to make 2012 more efficient, that’s fine … but starting over with a new set of resolutions is a waste of energy. This type of break in the action is what kills momentum. The new year should be time of adding to the already created momentum of the past year. If you approach each January in this fashion, you’ll find a much smoother transition from December.
Committed, discipline decisions will always be your key to a successful new year.