Where do we draw inspiration from?
When we try to beat the roadblocks to achievement, we tend to look at what we haven’t done and what needs doing. Those roadblocks can be pushed over with one simple thing:
Inspiration
But, where do we find that inspiration?
And how do we keep it consistently?
There are a few concepts we can learn from.
It’s said that a bad carpenter blames his tools
But nobody’s ever said what makes a good carpenter.
A good carpenter isn’t always the one who has the best equipment, but a good carpenter makes sure to learn how best to use that equipment.
There’s a reason why you need to spend time learning how to use the equipment: tiredness.
Work smart, not harder
A major problem for most people is having too much work and not enough time to do it. One solution: fine-tuning your time management & maximizing your resources. By using your energy more efficiently, you get closer to achieving your goals and attack stress on several fronts:
- You’ll feel more in control, be more productive and more secure in your job.
- You’ll get greater satisfaction from what you do.
- You’ll give yourself more time to relax and enjoy life.
No matter how you juggle your schedule, the number of hours in the day will always remain the same. But it is possible to adjust your habits to buy more time for the things that matter most.
Check out these Reader’s Digest tips for maximization
But forget maximization, let’s just talk about knocking down the roadblocks to your goals
There are probably ten thousand websites and fifty tutorial videos on solving your exact problem. We change tracks, read about some new-fangled approaches… we get new tools, find new tips… but we keep getting the same results.
What’s up with that?
We are creatures of habit.
It’s all in the habits
No matter what gadgets we obtain, articles we read, whatever we go out and get… nothing changes unless we change.
Here’s a simple way to look at that:
Even if you get a treadmill, it’ll do you no good if you continue to treat your body like a dumpster behind a fast food restaurant. Or if you hit snooze four times every morning, thus eating into your possible treadmill time.
We want change, but we don’t want to change.
And guess what?
THAT WON’T FLY.
Why?
Because we do what feels “good”, rather than what’s new or difficult or uncomfortable. It’s just something we have to accept about our nature as humans.
But, let’s face it: tools matter, too
Getting on the treadmill can be nicer than going outside. It’s closer to the shower and the fridge. The running is all the same… bu the treadmill is a nice tool to have. However, in our world of newest versions and updates-gone-haywire, we’re often just glitzy-eyed for the “best” and newest without ever putting aside time to learn how to use things well.
That’s another aspect of our psyches that we have to confront:
The desire for gratification. And as fast as possible.
Doppler Your Life
A Doppler radar is a specialized radar that uses the Doppler effect to produce velocity data about objects at a distance. It does this by bouncing a microwave signal off a desired target and analyzing how the object’s motion has altered the frequency of the returned signal. You’ve probably seen it on the news, spinning as it scans the area for bad weather.
Use the same approach to your goals.
If you try something for the first time, you only pick up so much. So you go back again for the second sweep, then the third, then the fourth, and so on…
The first day you run, it’ll be tough. But the next time will be easier. And your cardiovascular health will improve. And your muscles will become accustomed to the work. And then you can go farther or run longer.
Recognize the requirements, changes, improvements, and small achievements that happen at every stage.
Enjoy the Ride
If we like gratification, gratify yourself about the progress you make.
Yes, we can’t be congratulated about every small thing we do in life (that’s so very milennial), but this is an internal thing we’re talking about — achieving your goals is nobody else’s business, but yours.
So, tell yourself you’re a friggin rockstar. Pat yourself on the back when you’ve finished even a half-mile run. Look at where you’re trying to go, and love yourself for taking yourself closer.
If you’re a good carpenter, you’ll learn how to maximize your tools
If you have your end goal clearly in mind, you have to make the choice to get to it.
And you decide how fast you get there.
There are a number of paths to the same destination, but only you determine and walk yours.