If you missed it, Friday I talked about the first step in turning your setback into a come back and yesterday I shared the second step. Today, let’s focus on the third and final step: Creating Your Comeback
There is something magical about the promise of the future and the hope of possibility. It’s much like opening a brand new journal, and each of the fresh pages is blank, simply waiting for you to fill them. Each new day is just like a blank page in the book of you – and the choices you make determine how you will fill them. Regardless of the setbacks, how you move forward from today is up to you.
You have already identified where you are, where you want to go, and the gap between (you did that in step one on Friday). And, you’ve learned to shift your thinking into hating the problem instead of loving the solution (we talked about that yesterday). Now, it’s time to create your comeback by filling the book of you, chapter of today, by making the right choices to close the gap. In other words, you made the decision, now it’s time to take action.
The discipline of execution is the key to achieving anything. Making a decision is the easy part. We make thousands of decisions, consciously or not, every day. But, nothing changes until we act on those decisions. Discipline comes in because it won’t always be easy, convenient, or fun to change. Turning the Titanic took some time because of the momentum of the ship. Changing your life is just like that – it takes quite a lot of energy and time to shift the momentum of your life. The bigger course change you want to set, the more energy required to shift. And, discipline is the determination to stick with it when it’s not easy, fun, or convenient.
When I realized my “people” skills, while much improved from when I first left home, were holding me back in life personally and professionally, I realized I had to work to improve them. (In my book, Straight Talk: The Power of Effective Communication, I shared the most embarrassing elevator moment of my life, which can be attributed to my lack of social skills!)
But, it wasn’t easy. I have now spent thousands of hours reading and studying communication, connection, emotional intelligence, and improving my skills in that area. It wasn’t easy, fun, or convenient and many times I didn’t feel like putting the effort into developing myself. But, it’s paid off – I now speak and write for a living. One book at a time, I learned something new. One opportunity to practice at a time, I developed my skills. One reflection at a time, I realized what I didn’t do well and what I could do better.
Examine the decision(s) you have made for creating your comeback in 2018. And, then, execute the plan you have created. It’s the daily discipline of getting up and doing it – one choice at a time. Even though it the choices don’t always feel significant – they add up over time. Much like losing that 10 pounds won’t happen overnight, change takes time. It’s the daily discipline to sacrifice the comfort of now for the improvement of the future. Small, successful choices will build momentum and help you get a running start. So, as you write in the pages of your life today, consider carefully the choices you make and how they will impact your comeback. The choices we made yesterday determined us today. The choices we make today determine us tomorrow.
Choose well.
Interested in learning more? Join me in February 2018 for a women’s retreat with sessions on overcoming adversity and issues like anxiety, shame, and fear; as well as sessions on creating and executing your action plan to make 2018 your best year yet!
