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Tag: Progress
Why It Is So Hard To Change
Common phrases like, “I keep trying”, “I can’t lose weight”, and “I’m not good enough”, hold people back. In part, this is why it is so hard to change.
When you want to change something in your life, you need to move from uncomfortable to unstoppable as quickly as you can. Part of the problem is wanting to have different results without doing things differently. Improvement usually requires a change in thoughts and actions. And these tend to make us uncomfortable, so we stop.
Think of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. It doesn’t stick a couple of wings on and fly off. It fully commits to its transformation. The caterpillar has to leave its old life behind to emerge into its new life. It is still the same ‘me’ once it is a butterfly. Though it is a different ‘me’ from before.
The butterfly has shifted from a creepy crawler to a beautiful, slim, flying machine. That is the power of the growth mindset – the will to grow into something magical and willing to leave their old life behind, never to return to it. I know it is uncomfortable at first when going through any change. However, as you shift your mindset and your body, the sooner you will be transformed.
Allow yourself to leave the the old you behind. Commit to the new you and fully embrace it.
Eliminate the number one reason why it is so hard to change.
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Progress, Change Or Improve
People want to change the world. That doesn’t necessarily mean they will improve it. Given the chance to make progress, change or improve yourself, or anything else, which word would you choose?
I used to be an adherent to change. Change was good. It was different to whatever is now. But that may mean worse as well as better, from your perspective or from that of others.
Then I became an ardent fan of progress. Progress was better than change. It sounded like it was at least going in the best direction.
However, I am not sure things that seem like progress always are. Like change, it can seem good to some but can be at the expense of many others.
Knowing what we know now, many things that seemed like progress at the time, may not have turned out like that in the longer run.
Was the machine gun progress over a pistol? Was nuclear power progress? Industrialisation – was that progress? Ask people interested in the planet’s future.
We should aim to improve. Improving suggests making things better, for many. It encapsulates change and progress but also a broad reach that helps most people that are impacted by it. It’s not about a select few, or one political, religious or tribal view.
Progress, change or improve? Aim at improve.
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Personal Accountability Is Critical
You can have reasons or results. You can be someone who produces or gives excuses. Everyone can deliver or wither. Personal accountability is critical.
It may be a good idea to decide which way you want to live your life. And you may also want to consider how you are perceived. Do you want to point to any possible hurdle in life and blame it for your lack of success? Another way is to reach down, overcome the obstacle and succeed despite it.
Perhaps a child is not getting decent grades at school. Should we blame the teacher, the school, the system or the leaders of the country? Starting with the child might be a better option. Is the child capable of better grades? Are they putting in the time and focused effort that that child needs to in order to achieve the higher grades expected?
There is a generally accepted ‘better way’ to do almost anything these days. You can find these online easily. Not only is there one ‘better way’, frequently you will be able to find many very good options to choose from. To get from London to Paris you could drive, fly or take the train. There are also pros and cons for each.
Personal accountability is critical. Get the results despite the hurdles.
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Marking Your Progress
How do you know you are moving forward? Some situations are more obvious than others, such as moving up a year group at school. Marking your progress outside of school becomes more difficult.
It isn’t impossible. It usually just requires more effort because you have to do your own assessment and tracking. Then you need to judge your level and prepare for the next step.
At school, the teachers prepare the training exercises and become your accountability partner. They also assess your work and keep track of your test scores and engagement level. The department of education maintains the structure. For example, we know that after your 3rd year at school, most children move along to their 4th year.
In a work environment, your immediate boss takes the place of the teacher. They set the work to be done, assess it and keep track of your performance. The company directors determine pay and organisational structures.
Your personal development is usually up to you to organise. And what your next role will be is also in your hands. You may choose to stay in the company or try a different company or industry. Sometimes people try something entirely new.
Whatever it is you are doing, marking your progress is important. On a scale of 1-10 for each category, where are you with work, relationships, wealth, health and fitness? Now make note of where you want to be and plan how to close those gaps.
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Those Super Productive Days
Some days everything just clicks. You know that feeling. Your mind is fresh, calls are succinct and effective. Those super productive days feel so good!
I had a day like that on Thursday. Everything I was doing seemed to be going so well. I was in that flow and made some great progress towards the outcomes I want.
It’s fantastic when we have days like that. It reminds us that we can. And it gives us a benchmark to compare with other days. By having less than wonderful days, we can certainly appreciate the brilliant days that much more.
Some of the key ingredients for those super productive days are: a schedule, a positive expectation of outcome, enthusiasm, focus and energy.
Some days can be harder when you don’t have a commute where you can slip into your superhero suit. And if you are able to set your own schedule, it can make it more challenging to maintain it with focused energy.
However, on the days that these things come together, you can make such significant progress, you want to do it again. That’s when the flywheel is set in motion and you get into a positive flow that you continue to build on.
Today was a little more about enjoying the heat and the sunshine. But those things I did do, went very well. I am going to surf this re-found flow for as long as I can now.
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Someone Must Be First
Sometimes it is exciting to be first. In other circumstances it can bring fear. Regardless of how it feels, eventually someone must be first.
Some people seem to love to go first while others shy away. The circumstances are often a factor too. Almost everyone likes to be first in the queue for ice cream or their favourite food. Very few people are itching to go first when its time to give a 5 minute speech.
Some people become inspiring firsts, like Rosa Parks or Neil Armstrong. They lead the way and make it easier for the next person to see themselves in that position.
Where can you be first and make progress in your life or for society?
This morning, I was saddened to read about a young person’s reluctance to be first. The person said they wanted a career in a certain field. The problem, in their eyes, was that there was no one else like them when they were networking and attending events. So rather than decide to be the first one, they chose to withdraw from the career that interested them.
Someone must be first. And it was their chance to be the trailblazer and the inspiration. Their life would be different. Others would have followed. They would not have been ‘the only one’ for long.
Be brave. See the opportunity. Be the trailblazer.
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When Is A Problem Solved?
There are often different solutions to problems. And some problems have had tremendous progress. But when is a problem solved?
If I have a cut on my arm, I usually consider the initial problem solved once it stops bleeding. Usually I consider the whole problem resolved when any scab is gone and the area looks similar to how it was. If there is a little mark or scar that reminds me of the problem, that is fine. It’s not ideal but it is fine.
Some problems are more difficult to conclude that they are resolved. For example, there has been a very recent case of bubonic plague in Asia. It was once a highly feared and deadly disease. Now it can be controlled more easily. Is it a crisis? Is it a problem? At what point would you have unanimous opinion that it is no longer a problem?
We can look at homelessness, illiteracy and poverty in a similar way. Is there a measure whereby you would have unanimous agreement that these challenges were no longer a problem?
People build organisations and associations to tackle a problem. Usually this is a good way to deal with an issue. Unions would be a good example. Union membership is well down from 60 years ago though. Is there a point in the future that they will no longer be useful? Perhaps sufficient legislation will be in place or the culture will be sufficiently different to make unions irrelevant.
If that were to become the case, what would happen to the dwindling union organisations? When would they say that their job was done and it was time to close up shop?
When solving a problem, remember to be clear about the metric that determines that the job is done.
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CategoriesReframe your thoughts
Progress Not Problems
Sometimes it feels like it can’t get any worse. There are moments of two steps forward and two steps back. Focusing on progress not problems can remind us, that overall, things are getting better.
I find it really helpful to let my mind zoom out of the situation and away from the immediate problem. As I pull back and get some perspective, it is much easier to recognise the progress that I have made.
This is the same for global issues as much as personal ones. There are a lot issues people would like to see more progress on and quicker too. But when we look back over 200 years, we can see a lot of progress. And 200 years ago it was slower and harder. However, today, progress and improvements are happening at a much more rapid rate.
We still need to have some patience as we make the progress. If we want dramatic change this immediate moment, we are likely to simply get ourselves frustrated. We must work toward our goals, step by step. We must have a longer term plan and follow it. Then recognise that although we can’t see rapid change, it will come.
When you plant a seed, you won’t see anything happening as you look at the ground. But with care, patience and time, your efforts will be rewarded with some visible progress. And later still, you will be able to harvest.
This system may not be perfect but it does work. Focus on the progress not problems. You’ll feel better for it while you wait.
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Get Inspiration But Don’t Compare
Why is it that many people tend to use only the ultimate success stories to emulate? You can get inspiration from them, but don’t compare yourself.
If you use only the highest achievers like Beckham, Beyoncé, Dwayne Johnson or J.K. Rowling, you may get disappointed quickly. The bar is so high. They’ve already made it. They are one of the hundreds or possibly thousands in this world of billions.
Focus on being better than you were yesterday. Only focus on you and your progress. Remember, everyone starts out similar in life as a baby. From that point, everyone will progress differently. It is progress, a little bit at a time, not instant success, that you should focus on.
You can get inspiration but don’t compare yourself to superstars – certainly not in the beginning. Perhaps learn about their start or the experience of others that are closer to where you are now.
Being inspired will help you push through in tough times. But comparing yourself with anyone else at any time is a quick way to get disenfranchised, disheartened or disappointed. Few people want to feel like that, so make it a rule that you follow from now on.
Learning about the path others have taken is useful. You can then pursue a similar, or the same, path and you should find similar success. Keep refining the path you are on as you go. You may even want to adjust who inspires you.
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