We’ve all been there.
The weight isn’t coming off no matter how well we are eating.
You’ve been working your ass off, but the clients aren’t coming in calling, or signing up.
You planned an entire week to get ahead of a project,but an unexpected emergency took up all of that time instead.
I feel like ALL three happened to me last week.
So it made it harder to start this week with a positive attitude when I felt like I am months behind on all my goals (or at least a week. I can be a bit dramatic).
Rather than use my time to vent about how “hard” my life is, I decided to get myself together by putting something together for you.
A What to Do When Progress is Slow Plan to get make sure you keep going.
HOW TO KEEP MOVING AHEAD WHEN PROGRESS IS SLOW
1. Take inventory.
Look at your latest efforts and be honest with yourself (no need for brutality here, but no sugar coating either). Are there areas where you haven’t been giving your best? If so, how can you tighten it up this week and give a little more than you did last week?
Have unexpected timely matters taken priority over what’s in your planner?
If yes, life happens. We know this. So keep moving. Prioritize and plan for this week. If you have extra time to catch up, do it, if you don’t, do your best at what’s most important and keep moving.
2. Be honest about where you’re at.
Does your progress feel the same or worse than it was last week? As one of my favorite childhood characters Gary Gnu would say, “No Gnews is good Gnews.” No change in progress is better than being rerouted and having to start all over again (which again, life). Take it as a win and keep moving.
3. Find the positives that aren’t as visible.
Maybe the scale didn’t drop this week (or it went up), but how are you feeling?
Are you feeling stronger, more confident, and have more energy? Been able to give some extra attention to your partner?
No sales this week? But you were consistent in your emailing, content, calls? Someone took the time out of their day to tell you how much they appreciate what you’re doing or saying?
Lost much needed time? But you were able to be a comfort or a help to someone who needed it more than you?
These are all victories- just not the ones we’re usually looking to notice!
4. Love on yourself.
Be forgiving of you first. Speak kindly to yourself. Be patient with yourself. Maybe you haven’t had much energy. Maybe you’re going through something that is making it difficult to focus elsewhere. Maybe you were just imperfect like the rest of us and made a few mistakes. It’s okay. You’re human. And it will probably happen again, so don’t make it so serious.
5. Keep going.
This is NOT the time to give up. Progress may be moving slow, but it’s moving. And there are things going on you don’t realize. By keeping up with your effort you’re building good and new habits, you’re establishing consistency, you’re building your “work for it” muscle. Just like muscles in our bodies, self-discipline, endurance, and mental strength can be built as well.
The worst thing I have EVER done to affect my progress and my self-confidence is anything is to STOP.
When it comes to the things you really want, stopping is the most frustrating thing you can do.
You stop only to end up starting again, usually with less energy, strength, and excitement that you had to begin with and with MORE work to do than before. And the damage you do to your relationship with yourself is hard to undo.
When you give up, you are teaching yourself that you can’t be counted on to keep your own promises. And if there is ONE person you NEED to trust, it’s YOU.
I encourage you to work through these any time you’re feeling frustrated or on the verge of saying, “F$#% it.”
We’ve all been there. And we’ll all be there again.
Next time, you'll have a plan.