I began my personal growth journey as a single mum, close to 100kg on a government benefit having left school at age fifteen. Lucky for me I saw a future for myself and my son that was pretty bleak to say the least and I had an internal drive to change things. That was the beginning of my desire for education and the need to understand human behaviour, attitude and what motivates people to succeed.
Your actions are determined by your attitude and your attitude begins with you. Yes, that’s not rocket-science and you’ve heard it before but until you begin to implement it as a strategy, you will act in a way that is more like reaction than action.
Phew, big stuff, or not really. My point is that we know this yet we rarely stop and check in with our attitude.
How is yours today?
Slightly negative? I wouldn’t blame you, things for some people right now are a bit lower than average. None of us like to be controlled and at the moment we have lost a few of our choices.
We are also hearing plenty of negativity through the media, friends, colleagues, and neighbours and that is because tragedy sells and it makes for good conversation.
But what if you were to choose to live your day through the eyes of a grateful person, grateful for the people you have around you and checking in on you, grateful for the view you have, the food on your table, the resources available to you. What if you were to live today through the eyes of an empowered person, how would you be, how would you talk, walk and act. Or through the eyes of an invincible person, what would you do if you were invincible?
My point is that it’s all about the glasses you wear and the lens you see through.
Isaac Newton made valuable use of his time during the 1665 plague pandemic and developed the theory of gravity. I’m sure he didn’t have power, running hot water, or even running cold water, certainly not a supermarket, television, internet, car or washing machine.
Right now you have a choice, you can choose how you come out of Covid-19, either on top or on the back foot.
The idea of coming out of this global crisis into my own personal one does not appeal to me so I am choosing my glasses very carefully and with intention.
This means each day I decide on the actions I will take rather than the reactions I could take.
Steve jobs once said,”Don’t let the noise of others burn out your inner noise”. Here is how you can come out of this on top.
1. Choose 1 or 3 areas of your life that you want to succeed in. Business, Health and Relationships are the most common.
2. Decide of a goal you will achieve over the next 30 days . Normally we would look further out than 30 days but as we are in a time of uncertainty, 30 will be great for your motivation.
3. Decide why you want it. Write down 5 strong reasons. You need to write down 5 reasons because your why must be big enough to get you to stick with it. What is the feeling you are after. Is it security, fame, a feeling of being less stressed and more relaxed or in control? Your goal might be a result or thing but what you are ultimately after is the feeling it gives you.
4. Decide what you need to do. What is it you have to do to achieve the goals you set. Give yourself weekly milestones to work toward. This means you can assess your progress and celebrate on the way. Your brain loves this!
5. Next, how will you do it. What does it require? Do you need to get up earlier to do something. Do you need to lock your self in your wardrobe to meditate away from activity around you. How will you do what you need to do to achieve your goal.
6. Then decide on 2 things you will do everyday to achieve your goal. Just small things, but 2 things that you will consistently do. Make phone calls, walk, stretch, eat fruit, check in.
7. Then choose 2 things you will stop doing everyday to achieve what you desire. To have more time to do what you want to do, you might need to stop something unnecessary that takes up your time now. No chocolate, stop watching movies, working late, complaining.
Taking small steps every day with intention will ensure you progress. Progress gives you energy. Trust me you will feel energised and great that you are taking action to come out on top when Covid-19 is over.
Success is a choice not an accident.
Here is a video of me explaining this if you’d prefer.
Hilary Saxton Performance Coach