Success is a Matter of Perspective
Although it may not appear, we are all successful to some extent. Whether we see ourselves as procrastinators, lazy and unmotivated or whether we see ourselves as achievers, energetic and motivated, we are successfully getting the results we deserve. Procrastination, laziness and lack of motivation are synonyms of unwillingness to do the work required to turn our dreams into reality. As the Greek philosopher Archilochus stated “we don’t raise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training”.
Training is the repetitive practice of a skillset in preparation for a particular event in the future. In this case, our success. Thus, the repetitive practice of not doing the things we know we should do to get the things we want is the perfect training to not getting the results we want. Mission accomplished! On the other hand, eating fruits and veggies, working out, giving our true best at work and learning new things on a daily basis will likely increase our chances of making our dreams come true.
There’s another important aspect to our daily training. Putting things off or even avoiding them completely creates a sense of self-doubt and fear. The more we procrastinate, the more doubtful and fearful we become and less confidence we’ll have. The opposite is also true. Actions generate momentum, which increases confidence and boosts courage to take risks and reap great rewards. We can only change our lives for the better by doing, not by thinking of doing. When we get closely associated with the actions we take, great things start showing up: either results or more thoughts.
It’s in our best interest to get started on acting right now, despite what we believe our level of preparedness is. The longer we wait, the more unprepared we will feel and the more negative thoughts will build up inside us. The sooner we get our hands dirty, the sooner we will start getting some results that will strengthen our confidence and self-esteem. If there’s any doubt as to whether, how or what to do, the best solution is to do whatever to get feedback as soon as possible so we can either continue down that path or amend it. Indecision will not only kill momentum but will also delay the feedback we need to move forward.
