7 Ways to Stop Waiting For Life To Happen
Do you ever catch yourself saying things like “When I complete XYZ I’ll be able to achieve my dreams?” This might be when you have more time, things calm down, when the kids are older, the timing is better, or you have more money in the bank. It’s certainly not your intention, but these are all excuses we use to put off our dreams and goals. However, circumstances don’t change until we do, so we must not allow these excuses to hold us back. Here’s how to stop waiting for life to happen!
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Timing Is Rarely Perfect, So Get Started Today
While some dreams and goals require a foundation it’s time to abandon the idea of “perfect timing”. Timing is rarely perfect. When it is, make the most of it, but when it’s not don’t let bad timing become a limitation. Instead, map out a measurable and actionable plan, and get started today.
Depending on your goal this could include doing some internet research, signing up for an online course, hiring a business or life coach, creating a research reading list, and more. Set aside at least 5 hours a week to work on your goal, but if you are laid off or have more time at home due to social distancing, invest more time.
Fight For Your Dreams More Than Your Limitations
There is a fine line between being cautious and limiting yourself by never trying. Yes, make a pros and cons list, or do what you need to do to take a proactive approach to minimize risk, but you must not allow fear disguised as caution to keep you from pursuing your dreams. One of the many lessons we’ve learned during the pandemic is that far less of our life is within our control. So, invest the overwhelming majority of your energy in making your dreams come true, not in fighting for your limitations.
Shift Your Mindset Regarding Failures
When you were a child failure was frequent, but it never held you back. Everything was new, so you took the time to get it right. You fell countless times before you learned to walk, but you got back up and kept going. You mispronounced and misspelled words, but you learned to read and write. Maybe you tried countless arts, sports, and extracurricular activities that you’d never tried before—and found one or two that you enjoyed. Somewhere along the way many of us lose our fighting spirit, forgetting that our mistakes and failures are simply part of the process.
It took Thomas Edison 1,000 tries to design a fully functioning light bulb. When asked how 1,000 failures felt he replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps. Great success is built on failure, frustration, and even catastrophe.” In other words, learn from your mistakes and get back up and keep at it.
Stop Waiting For Permission
It’s not just our fear of risk or failure that’s weighing on us, but also the fear or discouragement of those we hold near and dear. First, let’s put things into perspective. Most who discourage us from our heart’s desires are trying to protect us from disappointment, uncertainty, or failure. And some are trying to control us. Whatever their conscious or subconscious intention, their permission is not required. It’s your life, so do what is best for and feels right to you. It’s time to set boundaries with those who are negative or discouraging, which may include being selective about what you share with them or letting them go.
Find Your Support System
Invest most of your personal time with those who support your goals and build you up. This may not be someone whose life or goals are the same as yours, but a dear friend or family member who celebrates living life with authenticity. In addition to those you already know, it’s time to expand your social circle. Thanks to social media and professional networking sites, it has never been easier to find a people to support you. Search for Facebook groups, local organizations, niche clubs, online and digital networking groups, and any other like-minded communities. Or create your own in a Lean In Circle.
Be Willing To Adjust Your Plan
One of the mistakes we can make when we create measurable and actionable plans, is failing to adapt as circumstances change. Committing to your dreams and goals means knowing when to adjust when needed. For example, many businesses that never allowed work from home employment have transitioned to full-time WFH during the pandemic. It wasn’t part of their plan, and something many businesses had actively ruled out. But if they wanted to remain open during the pandemic, they had to adapt. The same is true for your plan. As times and circumstances change, you must revise your plans as required.
Stop Comparing Yourself To Others
Once you’ve embraced your dreams you may identify a person or two that you begin to measure your success against. You may consider anything else than equal results to be a failure. While you can look to others for inspiration, don’t look to others to set the bar. Your milestone and end goals should be unique to you.
When I started blogging I fell into this trap. I would compare what I was doing with my blog with what other more successful bloggers were doing. I thought if I wasn’t doing the exact same thing as they were doing then I wouldn’t be successful. But success is obtained differently for each person. My road to success might be longer than someone else’s road or it might be a shorter. The key is to be authentic to what feels right to you.
We can also use comparison to limit what we believe we can achieve. For example, you might compare yourself to a family member you love and respect who attempted a similar goal and failed. Or they may discourage you by comparing their life to yours or stating things like, “what makes you think you can?” or “I tried and failed what makes you think it will be different for you?” If it’s your passion and calling, don’t allow anyone to limit you.
Ready To Start Living Your Best Life?
When starting the journey to figuring out, planning and executing your goals it’s a good idea to write down what you want to accomplish first. When you figure out what you want to accomplish then find out what are the steps you need to take in order to accomplish these goals. To hold yourself accountable create a timeline for when each step should be done.
When my goal was to start a blog there were a lot of steps that I had to take to get things setup and going. I had to do tons of research and keep track of all of the many tasks that needed to be done over time. I am the queen of lists and planning and in order to help me keep up with my goals and plan them out I always use planners and journals.
A few good options for planners and journals are the Day Designer planners. Check out the options below. These will help keep you on track with your goals and before you know it you will be well on your way to success!
The tips above will help you stop waiting for life to happen and put you on the right path to success. However if you are still feeling overwhelmed, I’m here to help! As a life coach I provide an unbiased perspective and provide ways to help you shift your mindset. We can discuss via phone or text to lay the foundation for achieving your dreams, eliminating roadblocks when you get stuck, or helping you cross the finish line. Reach out today to schedule your first session!
How to Stop Waiting For Life To Happen And Accomplishing Your Goals
