Is it just me, or can you also get caught up in list making and creating the “perfect plan,” so much so that you look at the time and say to yourself, “Oh shoot, gotta get to bed/ back to work, etc,” and the implementation of the plan never occurs?
We can spend an inordinate amount of time mapping out our goals and our plan to reach them. So much so that we run out of time to implement the steps needed to get there.
After all, January 1st is an arbitrary date. I mean, if it works for you as a way to jumpstart yourself forward – Great! But I want you to be able to read this on April 23rd or August 9th and see it as relevant, regardless of the date.
Time to shift! Let’s think about creating healthier habits rather than setting goals. That means we start with what we’re going to do differently TODAY and only today. We’ll get to tomorrow tomorrow. Since we’re not relying on a perfectly mapped out long term plan, we can exhale and confidently make one tweak today. After all, we’ve already established a Plan B in case one of those potential roadblocks comes up (see Blog Post #1).
My suggestion: Keep a stack of post-its on your bathroom counter. When you get up for the day, complete the statement, “Today I will ___ ” and when you’re going to do it (i.e. “Drink a glass of water before each meal.”)
End of the day: As you’re getting ready for bed, take a look at that post-it. Put a check mark on the task(s) you completed.
I know, it’s not glamorous, but it’s moving you in the direction you want to go – and isn’t that the point?
It’s your commitment to consistency that matters 100 times more than the gold star.
Imperfect Action Beats Perfect Planning – Everytime!