When Mama is not there to nudge, snap and prod us into doing things, as adults, we need to recognize our barriers and get the 800-pound gorilla out of the room.
Barrier #1 - Procrastination. This is such a huge issue that there is a national day to give people an incentive to change their mindsets and habits. This could be something as simple as cleaning out a closet for the first time in ten years to taking the clothes off the treadmill and using it for the first time in five years. I would like to share some ways to remove this stumbling block.
What to do to move the gorilla out of the room: Make a written list of three things that are keeping you from achievement. Select one item that will take less than eight hours to complete. Make an appointment with yourself for some time during the next week to begin working on it - without outside distractions. At this point you have made a decision and taken the first steps to move the gorilla.
Barrier #2 - Lack of Focus. You have reached the time to begin work on the first thing on your list. You suddenly remember that the car is out of gas and your husband has offered to go to the store for you. When you agreed to take this time to work on one thing on your list, you did not remember that your teenage son and some of his friends would be in the house practicing with their band for an upcoming event. This is not the time to panic; we have all been there at some time.
What to do to move the gorilla out of the room: Text your husband and let him know the car needs fuel. At that point he can determine how to proceed. Next, see if the boys can practice in another area of the house. If not, grab some noise suppressors and focus on your assignment. Use a digital timer to time your work on the project in fifteen-minute segments - no longer. Let's say you have allocated one hour to work on this list item. At the end of 3 fifteen-minute segments, assess progress and clean up, so that at the end of the hour, the work space is de-cluttered. Remember to focus on what you can reasonably accomplish in the amount of time you have allocated.
Barrier #3 - Lack of Consistency. You have completed part of the first project on your list. You get discouraged; it seems that life keeps getting in the way. You feel like you are wasting your time and energy. You have had to reschedule this activity twice since you began.
What to do to move the gorilla out of the room. This is where you ask yourself the tough question "Have I let other things get in the way of getting this done?" If life has truly gotten in the way (serious illness, expected travel, etc.), this is where you revisit your goal and look at what reasonably can be accomplished by a final date that you choose. You re-visit your schedule and pull this down to a fifteen minute exercise every week or every two weeks. When it is feasible, develop longer periods of time on a consistent basis until the project is completed.
What does this process do for you? You have tackled some unpleasant, boring, and frustrating things that stand in the way of your personal achievement. Hint: It does not matter if anyone else thinks this is important or necessary. You have accomplished something that makes you feel proud of yourself and that is all that is necessary. Congratulations! The gorilla has quite simply vanished.
Do you feel like there is an 800 pound gorilla in the room with you, stopping you from creating a lifestyle at home that showcases your success? Would you like to boot him out of the room? One of the best ways to begin is to use personal achievement templates.
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