Michele Woodward

Powerful Coaching. Powerful Results.

accomplishment

What To Do When You Succeed

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There can be a moment – and you need to have your eyes wide open to catch it – when you realize that you’ve accomplished what you’ve set out to do.

You got the degree, you got the promotion.Businessman Thinking Aspirations Goals Contemplating Concept

You built the business, you cleaned the garage.

Your garden is just how you envisioned it, your kids are in school.

Whatever you dreamed, well, you dreamed it right into existence.

And the thing you do next, in that moment-after-realization, will prove critical.

You can, as some folk do, feel a profound sense of loss because the avid pursuit of anything can be compelling. The hunt can give you a reason to get up in the morning and put one foot in front of the other. It’s like the stress of getting “there” (or anywhere, for that matter) is the only motivation that matters to you.

You might, as some folk do, hurriedly seek out Another Thing To Accomplish because idle hands are the Devil’s playground (or some other nose-to-the-grindstone sort of phrase). It won’t do to be braggy or rest on your laurels – no one says that’s the way to get ahead! Plus, there is just so much to do every single day.

Or, it’s also entirely possible in the moment of realization to find the space to take a breather. You might consciously slow down, get calm, clear, and centered to reflect on the journey you’ve taken. You could, in that moment of stillness, feel extraordinarily grateful for the ability to accomplish what you’ve accomplished and honored by the people who helped you along your path.

You find time to allow yourself to be filled up by the honest and honorable pride in doing something that mattered to you. Maybe even to the world.

And after that rest – however long or short it may need to be – you trust that you will naturally find your Next Thing.

Because in the stillness you were reminded that any good thing you do is born of curiosity, driven by integrity and delivered with care.

You treasure reflecting on your success because it points your way toward more of the same.

Quiet, thoughtful space to consider and appreciate – it’s not what our go-go-go culture suggests because it’s not very tweet-able or shareable.

But, I assure you, it is the thing the most successful people do, time and time again.

 

Really Can’t Wait

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There’s often a very rational, reasonable cycle people like me suggest to people like you:

Dream it ->Vision it -> Feel it -> Break it down into doable chunks ->Start doing those chunks, one by one by one -> Steadily, slowly, carefully, collect data along the way and adjust your actions or your dreams accordingly.

Jeez, that sounds deathly boring when I write it out like that. And time-consuming. And dull.

Watching-paint-dry slow, even.

When I see people who are stuck or struggling, even though they’re doing everything they should and following the “process” to a T, there’s something vital missing: they don’t really know why they’re doing it.

Motivation is the “why” you want to do a thing – like get a job, or get a contract, or get a client. Why write a book, or make a film? Why create something? Why do it?

You say: “Because I paid all this money for the degree, so I guess I should…” Or, “What would people say if I wasn’t a doctor/lawyer/Indian Chief after all this time?” Or maybe your answer is more like: “Everyone’s doing it – maybe that’s my ticket to Easy Street at last.”

[And you wonder why you’re stuck and nothing’s happening.]

You’re stuck because those things aren’t truly motivating – they’re all about fear. And fear will stop you in your tracks.

Most of the time, fear whispers “Wait. Slow down. Stop.” while motivation shouts, “Go. Do. Don’t wait. Can’t wait.”

That’s it, right there. The thing I’ve seen in the most successful people I’ve ever known:

The spirit of can’t wait.

In many forms, can’t wait is extremely motivating. There’s the excited, toes-curled-up kind of “can’t wait!” or the seize-the-moment, the-time-is-now “can’t wait.” And there’s also the compelling, creative, “this idea cannot wait inside me – it must come out.”

If you’re dawdling, and can’t seem to make anything happen even though you’ve dreamed and visioned and felt it in your body and broken it down into manageable steps, maybe… maybe take a step back, and ask yourself “where’s my can’t wait on this thing?”

If you answer, “can’t find it”, then stop banging your head against the wall and look for something else that feels exciting, timely and compelling.

And if your answer is, “It can wait” then take a break and focus on other things that cannot wait. It’s likely that you have something else going on in your life which needs your full attention.

But if you answer, “Yep. I cannot wait to get this going! The time is now! I have to!” – guess what?

You will. And nothing – nothing, not even fear – will hold you back.

Stop waiting. Know your why. Start your doing.

It really can’t wait.