There are Many ways of Going Forward, but Only One Way of Standing Still
‘There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.’- Franklin D. Roosevelt
I came across this quote last night when working on a project for a client and loved it so much that I decided to do a post on it and make it the title of it. This one quote really got me thinking about the many excuses we make for not doing something and the scores of reasons we give as to why something won't be possible. All of us have some goals we would like to fulfill. Be it losing a few extra pounds, saving more money, looking after your health, quitting a bad habit, improving your productivity, trying to increase your income, starting your own business or anything else- we have goals we wish to achieve. But do we always end up fulfilling them? Do we achieve everything we aspire to have? Do we always turn our dreams into reality? Sadly, the answer is a NO.
Dreaming is often easier than following through with a goal and achieving it because when you have to fulfill your goal, you need to give it your all and work hard for it. However, that is what we fall short of doing. We think that there is only way to achieve our goal and if we don't experience much luck with it, we quit the pursuit of our goal altogether. If you find it difficult to exercise to lose weight, it is likely you will stop pursuing the goal altogether instead of changing the route you are taking to fulfill it. If you wish to have your own startup but lack funds for it, you may quit that goal altogether instead of planning to raise funds for it. The problem is that we forget that there isn't one, but there are MANY ways to go about a certain thing and there is a lot you can do to fulfill your goal, but that happens only if you want to do it.
When we tell ourselves that a certain goal isn't achievable or now isn't the right time to work on it, we are actually giving ourselves excuses to not work on it. You see, there is always a way to do things like it is stated in the quote above. It is only standing still that is done just the same way- you decide not to do anything and just stay still. Soon, you become so stagnant that it feels weird to even think about moving an inch further. That is what standing still does to you- it jams your mind and it clogs your thought process.
If you really want to do something and that 'something' is difficult and complex, do not get scared by the severity of its nature and do not let that put you down. Instead, think of what you can do to achieve that goal. I gave myself a gazillion excuses on how I cannot take care of my skin and let it get into a really bad shape. However, a few days back I realized that only doing a few things for 5 minutes a day consistently can help me take better care of my skin. I often spend hours thinking of things so if I just take out 5 minutes from that time, I can improve my skin's condition. You see, we always have time to do things and there are scores of ways to go about a goal, you just need to prioritize it and make it really important to you.
If there is something you really want to do, but are somehow putting it on the side and not following through with it, here are a few easy and effective tips for you:
- Firstly, really figure out the reason why you want to pursue a goal so you know why you cannot live without it and why you must, must achieve it.
Secondly, make your goal less overwhelming by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable milestones. If you want to start your own business and that too a successful one, make a business plan first, research on the idea, raise and gather funds for it, make a prototype if you plan to create a product and so on. When you chop a big goal into smaller pieces, you have many in front of you the many steps you need to take to climb the ladder and reach your goal and this makes it easier for you to achieve your goal.
Thirdly, come up with 3 plans to go about it and opt for the one that seems clearer and more logical to you at the moment. Work on it for a few months and if it yields the desired results, stick to it. If not, change the course and move to plan B. I tried like 10 different work out plans before landing on the one that is working for me right now. Also, I took into account that my body changed a lot after pregnancy so the exercises that I did before becoming pregnant were tougher for me now so I found some even easier ones. You must take into account your body, your current situation and your willpower to do things before coming up with a plan. We change all the time and the different experiences we go through bring about different changes in ourselves and we must take into account those changes to come up with an effective plan.
-Once you have a somewhat clear plan on how to do something, don't just keep sitting and take action.
Doing all of the above isn't easy, but it isn't impossible either. I know you can do whatever you can because you are amazing. Trust that and follow your goals. And don't forget to share your thoughts on the article please- that really does cheer me up. :)
Love and light,
Sharoon.
I am running a writing contest with 5SBD up for grabs for the winner so if any of you would like to participate in it, click on the following link:
Shary's Writing Prompt Contest #2
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I am a part of the wonderful @ecotrain that aims to make this world a better place so do join it if that's your aim too..
You have your goals and dreams all prepared. you're standing on the trail, looking at the road which will take you to all or any you want. you're prepared however nervous. Fearful, however excited.
Today, take that initial step! though you are doing it with complete apprehension, simply get yourself moving forward.
Inaction keeps the foremost gifted folks stuck wherever they're. Inaction erects paper-thin barriers and walls that appear to grow taller and stronger the longer it will keep you simply trying. Inaction nourishes our doubts and fears, it stifles our confidence and subdues our success.
That beginning is often the toughest, however with action comes momentum and growth. Success is nothing quite daily by day accumulation. on a daily basis of very little progress beats daily of inaction.
Beautifully said! Thank you for this meaningful comment. This shows how committed you are to growing on the platform by posting original and meaningful comments. :)
Upvoted ☝ Have a great day!
Thank you :)
Solid and sound advise and I do love the quote
I think many get daunted by some challenges they face as they get overwhelmed by the potential complexities
Stepping back and breaking it down into manageable tasks is very important as you say
The quote is amazing right? I read it last night and I was like Omg, it says so much in only a few words. Thank you for being so kind Jay!
That was my exact reaction
SOmetimes we are our own worst enemy; especially when facing a difficult challenge, such as conquering a bad habit and becoming successful. Your post really made me think about some aspects in my life.
You are so right about how difficult it is to overcome a bad habit. Thank you for the support and for stopping by :)
That quote and this post is just amazing. Your words just motivated me a lot. As a newbie, I'm struggling here but this post made me belive that i can find my place here too.
P.S. i was also following a 5 minute skin care routine which i have started neglecting. I'm gonna start again today. Lol. Thanks.
For a newbie, this place can be a bit daunting especially when you see some people increase their reputation within days whereas some only struggle to move it up by 1 or 2 percent. However, this same place can be very welcoming and loving too. You just need to stay strong and join some communities on discord. Get to know more people and this will help you settle in quickly. You can buzz me anytime on discord too :) And yeah get back to that routine fast :) Also thank you for the lovely words.
@sharoonyasir, you bring up some great points, but my favorite one it this:
This is such wise advice! First, because it gives a number of options to consider before setting out on a plan, and creates an opportunity to really think through things before investing time and effort in the wrong direction. Second, because it gives some next steps if things are not going as expected. I would add that setting a time frame for allowing one plan to have a chance before switching plans would also be a good idea.
I've upvoted and resteemed this article as one of my daily post promotions for the @mitneb Curation Trail Project. It will be featured in the @mitneb Curation Trail Project Daily Report for 02 MAR 2018.
Cheers!
Thanks a lot for the support and appreciation Mitneb! It means so much. Yes, pegging a time frame to your goals and plans is extremely important because it then encourages to get started with the plan.
So motivational...Sharoon...
And by the way good advise in the form of steps...
My goal is to reach 1000 Sp on steemit by the end of 2018...
Thank u @xabi. The breaking up the goal into steps makes it easier to go about it. Try it with ur steemit goal too and best of luck with it. The way you are honestly working here, I sww u achieving it sooner than the end of the year.
Well thanks of the heads up and encouragement. ..