This is the time of year that everyone is about change. With a fresh start and a new year which to grow on, we can get caught up in the pomp and circumstance of it all, and I am not just talking about the Ball Drop, confetti, and champagne. I am talking about the focus on advertising—the weight loss pills, shakes, and diets. The gym membership and personal trainer posts on social media. The bevy of people sharing what planner they are using for 2019, and the array of them that are available.
Real change is about way more than that.
Here’s the rub: if you want real change, you aren’t going to get it with a gym membership, or your new fabulous planner. Real, lasting change is made by doing the work.
If you don’t motivate yourself to use the planner daily and to go to the gym you paid the membership for, then you can’t change. The ultimate resource of creating change is located right inside of you.
You can’t buy motivation. I mean, you can purchase motivational videos and such, but when it’s 5 am in the morning and the alarm goes off, those videos aren’t going to help you right then and there. The motivation and determination and focus are what is going to help you get up and get that workout out in.
Change starts and ends in your mind. If you can control the variables, temptations, and focus, then you have control over the outcome.
Don’t get me wrong—I love fancy planners and I even have a dope one I purchased for this year. I also have a gym membership that I started in November of 2017 and I’ve lost close to 50 lbs. I did, it though, with the help of a gym membership, not because of it. The gym membership and planners are tools—accessories to be used to help us get to our goals. But if you don’t put in the work and use them on a consistent basis, then you won’t see results.
Here are a few things to focus on when trying to make real change:
Filter out distractions
One of the best ways to get something done is to filter out distractions. Want to finish your book? Turn off your social media notifications so you won’t be interrupted.
Have a plan
You can’t build something without a foundation. Having a plan can help you execute it fully. Flying by the seat of your pants can only work so long. Plan your work and work your plan. Break it down into immediate, short term, and long term goals, then write out a plan of how you will go about achieving them.
Work with an accountability partner
Two heads are better than one, and when you can work with someone who can help you be better, it makes it better. Having an accountability partner can help you reach your goals, and I am not just talking about a personal or business coach that you hire. An accountability partner can be a friend whom you trust and is good at encouraging you or staying on top of your plans.
Enjoy and use that fancy, fly planner of yours—but make sure you don’t fall off. Doing the work is the best way to achieve results.
How do you plan to achieve your goals this year?
The post If You Want to Create Real Change, Then You Have to Do the Work appeared first on The Cubicle Chick.
