A few weeks ago I noticed my clothes were a bit tight, and it occurred to me that I never really got back into the swing of healthy eating after Christmas.
So I started the battle to reestablish my healthy habits. Eating right, exercising, and then falling off the wagon for my birthday. I got back into the swing of things, and finally about a week ago, I got into the routine where exercising and eating right finally feels normal, rather than a struggle.
This morning, one short week after the commitment really took hold, I hopped on the scale. Prepared to be dazzled by my progress, I quickly discovered I’d dropped only .6 pounds. My mind started racing, “Should I cut back more? Exercise more? No fruit? Eat more at lunch and less at breakfast? What should I change to reach my goal? I’ve been doing everything right, what’s the point?”
All of a suddenly I felt like I was talking to clients who, just because they had a bad week in business, want to start changing everything. The parallels are striking, and whether you are looking to fit into your skinny jeans or working towards a big business goal, here are 3 simple steps that will help:
- Get clear. Set a goal and make a decision to work towards it.
- Get a plan. Define the steps necessary to reach your goal.
- Get into action. Execute your plan consistently, track your results, and adjust as needed.
You’ll know you’ve missed one of these steps if you’re constantly overworking, reinventing, and everything feels difficult. And if you have these steps in place, but you’re constantly looking for new opportunities and feeling hopeless and impatient, you’re not giving enough time for the steps to produce results.
Whatever your goal, when these steps are in place, your progress is consistent, and you experience a profound sense of ease and accomplishment.
So even though it’s challenging in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, take the time to step back and evaluate. Get your plan together. Then go out there and do it. Stop driving yourself crazy trying every new fad out there. Business, and life, is so much easier if you just take a little time and let it.
And if you need help, get in touch. Achievement through simplicity is my specialty.