Are you tired of chasing endless goals? Do you feel as if you are running on a hamster wheel that keeps taking you round and round on the achievement cycle defining your self-worth by career accomplishments? Do you find yourself thinking: “If I just get THIS, THEN I will….? These thoughts are normal and human - I think therefore I am. The problem arises when arbitrary goals don’t uplift you nor allow you to live to your true potential. Setting personal and professional goals is necessary for growth. However, the pursuit of achievement and success can become a dangerous obsession. Attachment to outcomes in the form of external recognition and material gain can get in the way of being fully present and actively participating in life. To get unstuck and enjoy the journey, give yourself the space to focus on the things that are deeply meaningful to you, your WHY.
Feeling “stuck”, “running fast nowhere” or being “spread too thin” and struggling to “keep it all together” are all classic symptoms of the Treadmill Syndrome. I personally love the treadmill. But in life, as in running, you want to avoid spinning out of control. When you are feeling stuck, or in a rut, remember it’s just a feeling. The best way to get unstuck is to take action, even a small step just to get going. To get free, look at the situation at hand to put the right action plan in place. There’s only one way to create meaningful and lasting change, slowly and patiently over time. All growth journeys are a continuous process of gaining self-understanding, defining meaningful goals, and expanding one’s potential. A pre-requisite is embracing the full spectrum of one’s true, authentic self – whatever that looks like. It entails creating a space for and tapping into your inner voice and innate wisdom. Your personal and professional growth will be determined in large by the choices you make and the actions you take: whether you give in to the fears that hold you back, or rise above to grow into your full potential. Growth demands the willingness to make a consistent effort, to go deeper, to think, and to try out different solutions to initiate change and stand out in a positive way.
What do you do when you feel as if you are running all the time but not making any progress?
1. Are you stuck in fire-fighting mode?
When time and priorities become hard to manage, we tend to attend to the urgent rather than what’s important. Eisenhower’s decision matrix is a great tool to productive time management: Do the urgent and important immediately. Schedule the important but not urgent for later. Delegate the urgent but not important. Eliminate what’s neither urgent nor important. To be successful, know the difference between the two.
2. Are you having trouble saying “no”?
When you say “yes” to others, make sure it’s not at the expense of your own needs. Own your choices. An effective technique is to take a deep breath before responding; inhale to a count of 5 times and slowly exhale to a count of 5. Take the time to assess your own needs and consider the pros and cons before making a commitment to do something. Be strategic when investing your time.
3. Are you striving for perfection or excellence?
Perfect is the enemy of well-being. Yes, hold yourself to high standards and continually raise the bar but only when you excel in what really counts. There needs to be a clear ROI when choosing “perfection” over “excellence.” It happens, but not that often. The investment of time and efforts must lead to a positive impact and greater value. Good enough is the new perfect.
To thrive is to master the F word – fortitude. Mental fortitude is the ability to execute effective solutions when facing challenges. Make inner strength your superpower to initiate meaningful change. Be the kind of person who can face complex challenges head on and find creative solutions that work. Allow yourself to embrace and completely immerse yourself in the experience, whether good, challenging, painful, or life-changing.
To chase growth rather than outcomes:
Set your goals
Establish a routine
Leave room for flexibility
Pace yourself
Plan for rest & recovery time
Journal & document your journey & progress
Manage your attitude & regulate your emotions
Believe that the best is yet to come
Ask for the help you need
Cultivate gratitude and count your blessings
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