“When you have no patience in waiting for the result, you lose the journey’s worth in the process.”
A couple of weeks ago, I had a realisation which revealed one of the most common reasons why people lose motivation and block themselves from success in the form of procrastination, lack of self-belief, self-sabotage, etc.
How does that happen?
Our brains have an amazing talent to distort reality in order to justify our disbeliefs or fears about the future.
Once we set up a goal, we imagine how achieving that goal will make us feel, and we are excited to start. Oftentimes, though, we don’t take into consideration how the day-to-day tasks involved in completing that goal will make us feel. We don’t realise that the process will take time before we get initial results or feedback.
“The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” —Arnold H. Glasow
We aren’t prepared that growth and the path towards achieving something is never a linear process. It consists of ups, downs, and plateaus. To put it simply, our brain doesn’t like problems or hardships, although the brain will benefit the most from these difficulties.
The tricky part in such a situation is that making decisions driven by fear doesn’t lead you to growth, but to the same old place you’ve been or even lower. This can apply to your diet, starting a new business, learning new skills or changing your life.
Impatience occurs when we don't accept our current reality and want to get to the new, magical reality ASAP. As a result, we can't perform at our best because we want to change something here and now. When you have no patience in waiting for the result, you lose the journey’s worth in the process.
Luckily, there’s a way out! Here are some tips that will transform you into an invincible spirit!
# Create a road map to your goal
When you have a roadmap, you cut down the time you need to travel. There can be uphill and downhill parts of the road, but you will know that as long as you keep going, you’ll get where you want. There may be roadblocks, but you can always find a detour or a way to get over that hindrance. You may even be at a crossroad, and the only solution will be to select one road and see where it takes you. If you treat the journey towards your goals like following a roadmap, you will notice that just like a road trip, the journey itself is the most interesting part, not the destination.
# Be honest with yourself
Be realistic about the time it should take to achieve your goals and overcome obstacles during your journey. Once your mind knows what to expect, it won’t sabotage or disappoint you every day when you aren’t there yet.
# Obstacles are your points of growth
Take each obstacle as a learning opportunity. Pinpoint the exact issues and plan what is required to solve them. Once you are on the other side, you will feel so much stronger and more empowered, compared to if you just quit. Remember that obstacles aren’t always external. Internal obstacles are created by our imaginations and later act as if they are real. For example, if you think you won’t be able to do something, then you may choose not to act because of the fear of failure.
# Have patience and enjoy the process
Be prepared for the time it will take to conquer the obstacles (external and internal) you will face to achieve your goals. Focus on the journey and do the best you can. Take one day at a time. When the time is right, you will start noticing the results. Ask yourself as often as you can:
Why do I need to do this now?
Where will it take me?
What will happen if I quit?
# Acknowledge your progress
If you don’t have a habit of acknowledging your progress and are taking your results for granted, you might end up focusing only on what’s not going right and not enjoying the journey.
Here’s why it is important to not only review your progress but also recognise each step going forward:
1. A review of your progress will display your strengths and what’s going well.
2. Notice of your progress will make you feel better and add motivation.
3. Your self-confidence will increase once you acknowledge your achievements.
“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” —Joyce Meyer