Dec 22, 2017 Written by Erynn LaFlamme
Bruce Springsteen once said, “A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be.”
With the New Year right around the corner, you might be thinking about how you would like to better yourself in 2018. Maybe you want to lose weight, eat healthier, or spend more time with family.
Whatever your resolution may be, we all have a goal and want to stick with it! Sticking to your goals can require some uncomfortable changes, lots of commitment and a strong ethic to see it through. Sometimes, we make excuses as to why we don’t complete our goals. If you honestly want to commit, you are going to have to think intentionally about your goal every single day.
This year, achieve your goals by avoiding these 8 growth gaps.
1. The Assumption Gap- “I assume that I will automatically succeed”
Just because your mind is set and you have a goal doesn’t mean you are going to lose the extra weight you want to get rid of. Nothing just happens to us, if we want change we must go out and get it ourselves.
2. The Knowledge Gap- “I dont know how to do it”
Well, like starting anything new you are just going to have to learn it yourself. No one can do it for you. If you want to eat better, you will have to learn how to cook. If you want to learn a new language, you are going to have to study. You won't know how until you start teaching yourself how!
3. The Timing Gap- “It’s just not the right time to start”
Ever heard of the Law of Diminishing Intent? It means exactly what it sounds like-- the longer you wait to do something you should be doing now, the greater the odds that you will never do it at all. Don’t wait for the right time to get started, life is crazy and something is always going to come up. Just go ahead and start now!
4. The Mistake Gap- “I’m scared of making a mistake”
Completing a goal can be both physically and mentally draining. You have to realize your weaknesses, your temptations and you have to admit that you don’t always know the answers. But making mistakes helps you grow. Instead of fearing mistakes, welcome them. Understand that they don’t mean you have failed, they mean you are on your journey to success.
5. The Perfection Gap- “Before I start, I have to find the best way”
No one wants to waste time doing something that won’t work, so we always try to find the best way to do things. But like there will never be a perfect time to start, there will never be a perfect way to start. You have to get started in order to find the best way, so get moving!
6. The Inspiration Gap- “I don’t feel like doing it”
I get it. It’s cold outside, you are all cuddled up in your bed, you have a slightly runny nose and you just don’t feel like going to the gym. We’ve all been there. But this is your goal, and you want to complete it. Motivation isn’t going to strike you like lightning. It’s also not going to be forced upon you by someone else. The idea of motivation is a trap, stop looking for it and just get up and complete your goal!
7. The Comparison Gap- “Others are better than I am”
Earlier when I mentioned that goals can put us through some uncomfortable changes, this is what I meant. As humans, we tend to compare ourselves to others. When we see how others have successfully achieved what we desire to have, we tend to get a bit intimidated and let fear take over. You are going to have to play the catch up game for a while, but you will get there if you just keep going and stop comparing yourself to others!
8. The Expectation Gap- “I thought this would be easier”
You will not meat one truly successful person who thinks change happens quickly and climbing to the top is easy. To complete your goal, it will be a long process, maybe even a complete lifestyle change. Stop making expectations and instead keep an optimistic attitude through the entire process.
Jim Rohn once said, “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”
At the end of the day, keeping up with your goal is going to require change, and it’s going to grow you as a person. Be ready for anything this change throws at you whether it means you have to wake up an hour earlier every morning, stay up an hour later, give up your lunch break, or put in extra time on the weekends. So what are you waiting for? Start now!
If you are business owner and have a resolution to improve your marketing strategy in 2018, give the incredibly talented marketing executives at Marketing Eye a call. There will never be a more perfect time or perfect situation, so start your dreams early and contact us now!
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