- Going the Extra Mile
As your inner strength
increases and you begin to feel more in control of your actions, begin upping
the intensity of your efforts too. The stronger and more powerful you feel, the
more you’ll be able to handle. The funny thing about progress is that we are
often much closer to the finish line than we think. It’s our own thoughts,
fears, doubts, beliefs and expectations that make the destination seem so small
and far away. If we buy into this illusion, we’ll give up on the home stretch –
not realizing that the finish line is just over the next rise! Make a promise
to yourself right now that you will go the extra mile. Vow to go the extra mile
especially if you start to lose hope.
Ø
“When you
get in a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though
you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the
place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe It’s amazing how often that sentiment ends up being true. Just when
we’re ready to give up is when we need to push even harder because the tide is
beginning to turn ! Let it inspire you and encourage you when you need it
the most. What else can you do if you start feeling despondent?
Ø Break it down. Remember, feelings of
hopelessness, are frequently caused by trying to take on too much too soon. If
you break down larger goals into smaller ones and focus on taking small,
attainable actions more frequently, you will create a nice steady momentum.
Ø Take a break. If you start feeling
overwhelmed, it’s time to focus on something else! Taking a break is NOT the
same thing as quitting. Sometimes you just need to step away from the intensity
of change. Take a few hours to do something you enjoy. refresh your perspective
and renew your commitment.
Ø Keep affirming that you’re almost there.
Remember that your perspective can often work against you, fooling you into
believing that you’re never going to reach your destination. Don’t let an
illusion trick you. Create your own beneficial illusion. Keep imagining
the goal waiting just around the next corner Going the extra mile is more of a
symbolic sentiment than a physical one. It’s about giving your absolute best
effort and not investing in excuses. it’s about developing the insight and
determination to make each of your actions focused and life-altering in very
positive ways. If you can do that, you will be able to melt any self-limitation
with the white-hot heat of purpose.
- Slow and Steady Gets It Done
By now you are probably beginning to see that pushing
your limits is a simple process of examining your repetitive thoughts and
beliefs, challenging your perceptions and pushing through any perceived
limitations. Remember, limitations are nothing without the power you give them.
If you refuse to infuse them with power they are nothing but a random, harmless
thought. They may seem overwhelming at first, but once you take them apart and
look at them under a microscope you see how inconsequential they really are in
the grand scheme of things. Still, until you have reached a certain point in
the process you would be well-advised to take it slow. Just as pushing too hard
physically can result in injury, pushing too hard mentally or emotionally can
result in disappointment and frustration. One step at a time will get you where
you want to go, and probably result in a more pleasant journey too. Your
progress will begin to accumulate on its own soon enough, but in the meantime
take it easy! Try attacking one thing each day, even if it’s something small.
Face one fear, dissect one doubt, question one belief – and repeat the next day. As you begin feeling
stronger you can take on more than one at a time, but start small. Then, don’t
hesitate after each step you take. Don’t wait to see if you get any “results”
from it – just keep moving slowly and steadily. You’ll be astounded at how
quickly the process begins to snowball and return real results. But if you hang
around waiting for them, they might be delayed. Remember, “A
watched pot never boils.”
- Facing Your Fears
As you begin challenging your beliefs
and expanding your potential, you may have to face some fears along the way.
This seems scary because most of us are used to cowering in the face of fear.
We tend to avoid situations that make us feel uncomfortable, and I don’t know
of any situations more uncomfortable than fearful ones!
However, your fears are truly nothing
to fear. Just like the saying goes, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”
(Franklin D. Roosevelt)
Your fears are a direct result of
your beliefs. Or, more specifically, your fears are the result of CHALLENGING your
beliefs.
Fear is nothing more than a conditioned
response to a perceived danger. If we believe that something is
dangerous or harmful to us, we naturally will fear it. Trying to force
ourselves through the fear without changing our perception of it is often
unnecessarily painful, though effective. There is nothing wrong with forcing
yourself to face your fears if you desire to overcome them badly enough. People
do this successfully every day.
But if you’re a sensitive soul who
desires a gentler approach, here are some good ones for you:
Ø First,
convince yourself that there is no danger. It is our belief that something will
go horribly wrong if we move forward that keeps us locked in terror. One simple
way to overcome this paralysis is by asking yourself, “What is the worst thing
that could happen?” And, “Could I handle it if the worst did happen?” Most often, your answer will be affirmative.
Ø Plan
ahead so you know what to do if the worst happens. If your fear is public
speaking but you really want to (or have to) give a speech, ask yourself what
the worst possible occurrence might be if you go ahead. You might answer,
“stage fright,” or “flubbing my words.” Consider how you would handle those
situations. Could you laugh them off and turn them into a joke for the
audience? Could you visualize the audience in their underwear? You get the idea
– turn your worst case scenario into a “so what?” and your perspective will
change.
Ø Visualize
a different outcome. Whatever your feared outcome is, come up with an inner
“script” that is in direction opposition
to it and replay it over and over in your mind until
you
believe it. Using the public speaking example from above, visualize yourself
feeling pumped up, dynamic and confident as you step onto the stage. See the
audience being interested in what you have to say, listening closely, laughing
at the appropriate moments, and your words flowing smoothly and effortlessly.
Ø Shrink your fears and squash them like a
bug. We often feel that our fears are so much larger than we are. It feels like
they LOOM over us, draining our power and diminishing our determination. Change
this perception by imagining your fears shrinking, shrinking, growing smaller
and less intense until they have the stature of a bug on the ground before you.
Tell the fear that you’re grateful for its attempt to protect you, but you
don’t need protecting. Then…step on it. Squash it into oblivion.
- Keep Building on the Possibilities
As you begin to make progress
on pushing your limits, you’ve got to keep up the effort and continually build
on what you’ve got. Let’s summarize what we’ve covered so far so you can see
the process clearly.
Ø First in line is the
destruction process where you examine and destroy limiting beliefs. You begin
to realize how much other people have influenced your beliefs, and how you
often picked up where they left off.
Ø Next is the rebuilding process
where you begin replacing your limiting beliefs with empowering ones. You begin
to trust your inner knowing again, and honestly assess your capabilities.
Ø Then you begin challenging and
conquering your fears and doubts. You begin dissecting and disarming these
negative thoughts, effectively diminishing their power over you.
Ø Next, you begin to expand your
concept of what is possible and proceed at a slow and steady pace. You take it a step at a time while keeping in
mind that growth is a process.
Ø
Finally, you commit to going the
extra mile and continuing on past the point where you would have normally given
up.
0Comments