Hummingbird Soul

It’s Monday. It’s beautiful outside and all I really want to do in this moment is go lay in the sunshine.

Instead, I’m working today as many of you are and the best I’m going to get in the next few hours is gazing out of my office window. But that’s okay, because there was a time that I didn’t even have a window…or an office…or work, for that matter. I can easily remember times when I wasn’t where I am now. And progress is always success.

Doing the work it takes to get wherever you want to go in life takes some discipline. Assuming, of course, that you have goals and are actually looking to go somewhere beyond where you are currently. In order to achieve more, you must become more. And Becoming is a life-long process. You have to do the internal and external work to keep moving toward the you that you want to be.

Some people are excellent at this. They are excellent at goal setting and executing on daily tasks to get there. Some people absolutely crush goals year after year and have mastered the daily disciplines required to meet those goals. Sometimes this is an innate talent or personality trait.

However, for some people this discipline takes a bit more work. A lot of people struggle with overcoming barriers and obstacles, personal accountability, motivation, distraction, and many other road blocks that life may throw.

So no matter where you fall on this spectrum I want to introduce a few simple easy to follow tips to help you stay focused and mindful of the importance of doing the work.

Tip #1 – It starts in the mind.

You have to be willing to risk being uncomfortable in order to grow. You have to get real cozy with the idea that discomfort is not your enemy. Discomfort can be a tool to stretch and build resiliency. Think about how diamonds and precious stones are formed. Through pressure. You have to ‘mind over matter’ whatever roadblocks are standing in your way.

Action Step – For 10 minutes every day, repeat out loud, in your mind, or on paper, ‘I am willing to risk being uncomfortable as I do what it takes to become a better version of myself.’

Tip #2 – Move forward.

No matter how fast or slow you plan to move towards your goals, you have to actually ‘move’ to get there. Action must be taken. So everyday, take a step, be it great or small. This recurring movement over time will build momentum and all of those steps you take each day will start to yield results.

And don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is acceptable, and not really even failure at all, as long as you continue to take action.

Action Step – Take one step daily towards at least one of your goals.

Tip #3 – Measure.

If you are not measuring your progress, you have no idea how you are progressing. You have to measure your successes and failures and everything in between. Our world today is run on data. Scientists, officials, teachers, everyone, no matter what field you look at, they all use data to predict trends, probability, outcome, success and failure.

This simple technique is also helpful in those moments where you may feel overwhelmed or feel as if you are stagnant or not getting anywhere. You can look back at the steps you’ve taken and see where those steps have led you thus far. It will also help you to determine how to adjust or modify the action that you’re taking to get the results you want to achieve.

This is a great place to remind you that at least 97% of the time it takes to get from the earth to the moon a rocket is off course. So we aim, we go forward, we measure, and we adjust.

Action Step – Keep a journal, log, spreadsheet or whatever documentation floats your boat and track the actions that you take each day. Periodically, review your progress and course-correct as needed.

The rewards far outweigh the discomfort of the journey along the way. And the journey itself is oftentimes a large part of the reward. What you learn about yourself and your process in those little moments of doing what it takes to become the you that you want to be is priceless. It may be difficult at times but its always, always, worth it.