THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SETBACKS

Here is an experience I had recently. You know that feeling? Life is working well for you. The goals you are working towards are starting to show results and then bang, life rears it's ugly head and knocks you for a six, I know that we have all been there on more than one occasion.

So what do we do when life deals us a blow?

Here are some practices that I have taken on board and found helpful when finding myself in such situations.

#   Steady yourself and gather your thoughts.

#  Keep your eye on the prize

#  Remember what you have already accomplished

#  Go back to your why. A strong emotional attachment to your why will see you through  many 

    challenges.

#  Recover quickly. Don't let your current circumstances be the roadblock that prevents you from accomplishing the very goals that can set you free. 

A little inspiration can go a long way too. Here are some of my favourite off my Pinterest board that I go back to time and again. May they inspire you too.

THE POWER OF SELF DISCIPLINE

"We must all suffer from one of two pains, the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons". Jim Rohn

Set your goals high, then exceed them, and to do that we need discipline. Are you a disciplined person?  Discipline is a big one for me and I need to consciously work on it every day. My mother on the other hand has it in droves and I can only look on at her with envy and wonder why a little bit of it was not sprinkled onto me.

There are numerous factors that contribute to success, but discipline can be considered a cornerstone to it. It is behind virtually everything we do and accomplish, and at the same time, lack of discipline is often behind what has not been accomplished. As Jim Rohn put it, "It is the bridge between our goals and success".  It is doing what needs to be done whether we feel like it or not. I know that I for one have paid a heavy price at times for my lack of it, so I work at it constantly. I know, it is key.

Think about it, what do we need to do to make a dream or goal a reality? (see related post here).

We need action, we need consistency, we need persistence and more, but behind almost all of it lies discipline. Action takes discipline, consistency requires discipline. It is our ability to do what needs to be done whether we feel like it or not. We want to travel the world? We  need a plan, a budget, a timeline, and then the discipline and determination  to make it happen. The two D's

How can we become more disciplined.

• Know what you want and why it is important to you.
• Be aware of the rewards your discipline will bring.
• Be aware of the price you will pay if you are not disciplined.
• Understand that change takes time.
•  Make small changes at first to avoid being overwhelmed.
• If you fall short, be kind to yourself and start again

What area of your life would you like to be more disciplined in. How will being better disciplined serve you?

KEEP PUSHING THROUGH

One of the most difficult lessons that I have had to learn is the importance of pushing through. You know that feeling you get, when you are working hard, doing the right things, and the results are yet to show? And this is where your vision for what you are striving for, and the power of your why, come very strongly into play.

Many dreams sadly die in their early stages because following our dreams is never easy. As you follow your dreams there will be setbacks and rejections time and time again. You set a goal, you work hard at it but the results are yet to show. You keep hearing that word, no, time and time again. Mentally this is a dangerous place to be for many of us, because we are now feeling defeated and vulnerable, doubting our ability, doubting that our dream and vision will ever come to fruition. We are now in danger of convincing ourselves that this is not working and throw in the towel. Perhaps when success is now only a stones throw away, if we had just kept going.

At this time we need to dig deep, deeper than we ever imagined and be prepared to hear one more no, and then another if necessary, and then another. Then, because we have kept going comes the yes, or the result, that we have been working so hard for.

So please don't give up. Speak to one more person. Try one more time. Hear one more no, but do not take it personally. Know that the yes you are looking for is there waiting for you, if you can just push through the no's and disappointment. As the legendary Gary Player said: "Achieving greatness is not meant to be easy". That is what makes it special. The same can be said about success and living your dreams. It goes to the small percentage who had the courage to push through, however difficult at the time.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Hall at Pearl Wanderings

NO LIMITS

I have a burning desire to become a no- limits person. I am not there yet but I work on it daily.  To often we are scared to take the next step because of the self-limiting beliefs, that we have imposed on ourselves and allowed to accumulate over time for one reason or another. These self limiting beliefs stop us from achieving so much more than we are capable of.

The  next time you find yourself putting a limit on what you can do, Stop.  Breathe deeply and take that next baby step forward. Then the next and then the next. As your confidence grows, these baby steps become bigger steps, then large steps. Before you know it, you will surpass the old limits that you set yourself and a whole new world of opportunities will open up before you. Just keep moving forward. It is how magic happens.

I would like to share these words with you that I read from the late Ayrton Senna. You may or may not like motor sport the but the message is powerful. I wish you  incredible joy and success on your journey to becoming a no-limits person.

                                     

                                     "On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you have a limit

                                        And you touch this limit, and you think, Okay, this is the limit",

                                        As soon as you touch this limit, something happens and you

                                        suddenly can go a little bit further. With your determination,

                                        your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high".

Ayton Senna 

                     

AMBITION....... What Does It Mean to You?

When you hear the word ambition what description first springs to mind for you?  Drive? A strong desire to achieve? Laser focus on attaining certain goals? Or would it be someone ruthlessly pursuing there objectives? One thing is for certain. Successful people are ambitious. Brian Tracey defines ambition as "neutral". It is neither good nor bad but rather it is  how we use ambition in our life that gives it a judgement value. A bit like money really.

Why is it that some people have it bursting out of their veins, while others never feel it no matter how many life chances are sent their way?  So, is ambition something that we are born with, or can we attain it at any stage in our lives?  Can our ambitions increase or decline at various stages of our lives?  Yes, I believe they can.