No matter what you want to do, the reality is that it's only an idea or imagination until you do it. How do you shift from thinking about doing the things you want to do to do the things you want to do? Take this exact moment in time, right now. What are you thinking about doing? Now say what you are thinking about doing out loud. Did you notice how the words came out of your mouth? Did you say it with energy and enthusiasm? Or did you say it in some half-ass way with a negative attitude?
Now we need to back this bus way up! Here is the harsh reality that you must hear or read since you are on this blog post. The harsh truth is that your attitude prevents you from getting done the stuff you want to be done. Period!
The reality that you can't get stuff done is not your fault; the great news is that you can fix it. Before you fix it, you must understand if you truly want to get done the stuff that lives in your head. I wish you to return to what motivates you, what you are passionate about, and what drives you. The things you are trying to get done today don't align with your passion, or else they will be done. If you are sitting at your desk or chair, lounging on the sofa, reading this, and arguing with me, with the T.V. blaring in the background as you search Instagram videos, I am prepared to have this argument with you right now.
Before I go any further, I must clarify something. I am writing this post with the vision of completing meaningful stuff that sets you apart from the daily crap you need to do. I am not writing to motivate you to do the laundry, cook dinner, clean the house, or organize your closet. It does not matter to me how you choose to live if you like dirty clothes or home; that is your prerogative. It does matter to me when I hear people say they can't do something because...(fill in the blank).
Before I tell you how your attitude is the main reason you are not getting stuff done, I have a confession. Everyone, including myself, struggles with prioritizing the daily things we need to do and then adding what we want to do. When we get to the things we want to do, we are tired or forget about them. Because we forget what we really want to do in life, it makes sense to build daily behaviors that will help chip away at them over time. This is a much better approach than spending your whole life in the "I could have "and "I would have but" life of regrets.
What do you want to be known for? What are you so passionate about that you always think about it? If you are not passionate about the stuff you want to do, chances are you will never do it. Inf act, so what if you don't do it? Stop right now if you are trying to do something to be on the map, make money, or get noticed. These are the wrong motivators, and you will quickly burn out and be back to the "should have" complaint. For the content of this post to help you, you must figure out your passions. You must identify the things you love and know will keep you striving. My first ask of you is to know yourself. Know what you want and love versus what you think others want or need from you.
I don't want to beat a dead horse or continue to ramble, but you must understand this before trying to get things done outside the noise of your daily, busy life. Take a moment for self-reflection and self-understanding. No one knows you better than you. Please close your eyes and let your imagination take you to wherever you want it to take you. How do you feel? Don't worry about how; enjoy the context of the situation and the fantastic feeling of "wow, this is me!" Take a minute to write down what you saw, what you were doing, and how you felt. Now you are ready to learn how to get stuff done. The stuff you are getting done is the things that will move you closer to what you saw when you closed your eyes and had the Breakthru of this is who and what I am.
Take a nice deep breath and repeat after me. "All I need to take is one step at a time. Steps lead to feet, feet lead to miles, and miles lead to marathons." Focus on the next single step. I want to share a quick story.
People asked me if I was crazy when I told them I was entering a Doctorate program. I heard things like "Better you than me" and "you’re crazy; what's that going to solve for you?" The truth is that my motives from my childhood and the concept of learning as much as possible are to help others. The intrinsic drive remained in my brain for 35 years. The vision to work on the degree was mine and mine only. I owned it, felt it, dreamed of it, and loved it. So, I had to do it.
Shortly after I enrolled, the frigging world changed! Of course, I entered school right before the pandemic and had a decision to make. As a healthcare leader, I had to meet the demands of my role, which now included monthly, weekly, and sometimes daily changes that I needed to pivot and execute. Fear crept into the minds of people I worked with, lived with, and interacted with. For a split second, these words entered my mind, "how on earth am I going to do this now?" Within a few seconds, the answer overpowered this negative spark and poured water. Oh no, you're not going to take over. The pure water or solution that blocked this hostile fire was called motivation. Motivation led to a new spark that burned for four years!
The single mindset change that blocked any negativity from creeping in was simple. Everyone possesses the same solution. The easy way to explain the answer is based on the take one step at a time, and soon you will walk a mile concept. I did not, nor could I focus on walking the many miles to get what I needed. I could focus on what I needed to get done that day. I did not have to make massive shifts in my behavior. In all honesty, at first, I watched less Netflix. However, I still watched my favorite series at times when it allowed. I gave up a little control, tweaked my habit, and spent the time working on daily reading, writing, and thinking assignments. These are great habits to do anyways. After I graduated, I enjoyed these habits so much that I still do them. You feel great when you check off a box in your head or on a calendar hanging in your office. It is more than checking a box. Completing a task adds value to your life, trains you for new habits that can lead to greatness, and takes you a step closer to your vision.
Avoid being consumed by the enormity of the goals you set. Don't set goals. Learn the habits you want to do that can lead to great things. After you reach a goal, then what? Instead, shape new habits that move you along your journey of passion and motivation and see what happens. For me, I learned great habits that opened many doors for me. My inspiration is constant; I make opportunities and goals obsolete. The daily actions turn into steps that will take you around the world. My question is, "Where do you want to go?"
When I sat down to write this post, I envisioned offering insight and help to anyone looking to do more with their life. The steps you take right now will be the miles you walk in years to come. My job is to help you take your first, second, and third steps. My job is to share ways that remind me to take another step and avoid standing still. When you stand still, you go nowhere. Suppose you take the wrong step; at least you are moving. When you are lost, you can find new paths, retrace your steps, and start over.
In my story, I decided to take one step a day. Some of these steps required me to make massive shifts and dedicate many hours, while others did not. After I completed a step, I left myself breadcrumbs in case I needed help or thought about turning around. Breadcrumbs are notes on my bathroom mirror that tell me to keep moving and alerts on my phone throughout the day that remind me why I am doing this hard work. I set reminders on my cell phone to get a good night's sleep and put down the phone now!
After hundreds of breadcrumbs and thousands of steps, I walked enough to reach my "goal." Once I got there, I decided to keep walking, living, and breathing my new daily behaviors. Throughout this blog and future posts, I will share specific breadcrumbs to keep you walking along the path you decide to take. I will share what I saw, what I felt, who I met along this path, and the new trails opening up as I write this initial post. Please think about breadcrumbs as anything that helps you keep moving. If you keep moving, your life will change. If you stand still, your life will not change. My hope and passion is that you will keep moving. You will never let doubt and fear enter your mind and freeze you in place. You are too valuable to the world and the future to stand still. It is imperative to understand that success is not about you getting rich, having millions of followers, or being famous. Success is reaching your vision of you, which I explained at the beginning of the post. Return to the beginning of this post and remind yourself what your success looks like. There is no right or wrong answer. The truth is what lies in your soul.
Since you clicked on this post, you want to get things done that matter. Take a pen and a notepad. Write down what you "have to do today." Your list might look like this:
Nowhere in the task list does it say:
Be mindful of things you are doing that don't live on your list. This mindfulness is the first step in you getting things done and walking a new path. Too many things that are not on your list prevent you from taking a step on that day. Write your list every night before you go to bed. Of course, things will come up, but when things come up, embrace their importance in your life. Important things matter, but unimportant things are the quicksand that prevents you from moving. It would be best to keep this idea alive and well as you embark on your new journey.
Ensure you understand the concept of getting stuff on your chest so you feel better and can move forward. We are human and have to deal with our emotions. The idea is to avoid getting trapped, frozen, and then forget about your journey. Don't give others your power. Chances are they are moving on while you are stuck. It is a balancing act; the key is to learn to balance more on the forward step concept than not moving at all.
This post was a lot to digest and to consider. You have a choice to make. There are only two choices to make. Your choice can change at any time, and nothing is forever. The only thing we never know is simple. We never know how much time we have, and we need to be aware of the value of our own time. Time equals steps; steps equal distance; distance equals new worlds. You decide! Here are your choices:
My promise to you is simple. My behaviors are to read and write daily. I will add new content every day. This is my commitment, and I am excited and driven to make it. Please share any of my posts with people you think need it. If you walk with me, I will walk with you. Please leave me comments and tell me where you are headed each day. Get your hiking boots, grab your walking stick, pack some snacks, and let your loved ones know you're going on a journey! Here we go....