How to Get Out of Your Own Way in 5 Not-So-Easy Steps

I always try to finish anything I begin. Why? I have a long history of not finishing what I have begun. I got sick of myself.

Whether I used the following rationales…
- bored
- angry
- frustrated
- scared
- fired
- apathetic
- sabotage
- tempted by a better offer
… it’s all the same. Regardless of justification, excuse or reason, an incomplete task is an incomplete task.

When you are accustomed to not finishing what you start, it will become normal. You will always give yourself a pass. Losers will love you and become your “lack of support” group. Now surrounded by underachievers, you won’t even register the disappointment of those around you. Until one day, hopefully, you also get sick of yourself.

As a dyed in the wool procrastinator and reformed quitter, here are some tips that work for me NOW. These are good tips whether it be an athletic goal, a diet, a job search or an educational challenge. Copy them today because we both know you won’t do it tomorrow.

1. Create a genuine Intention.
You must believe in what you are doing no matter how small. I perpetually hear people embarking upon a journey for “shits and giggles” or simply wanting a new “experience.” I’ve been there. I get it. What I will say is “if you don’t know why you are doing anything you will find yourself lost in the world.” In my opinion, this is a misdirected and lazy way to approach your Life. Doing nothing, getting mugged, being stranded in the bush and hunted by hyenas is also an experience. Do you want some of that?

There is ALWAYS a reason why something sparks our interest and there is an outcome we expect. Generate a “WHY” before you embark on a endeavor because that “feeling” or “motive” will drive the action that follows.

2. Make a Plan, Surrender Control & Avoid Complaining.
There is nothing more ego shattering than a plan gone awry. Who do you become when that happens? Unless your personal story is unique and has never been encountered in the history of humanity, keep the whining to yourself. This is why you must have an intention to refer to. It will sustain you.

Being a bitch is a thankless job and will not win you fans. Part of a challenge is the potential for self-transformation. If you are spending more time complaining than stretching yourself, you are missing the experience. Let go. There are 100% no guarantees for anything in Life. If you allow change in, you may become someone you don’t recognize at the end.

Each of these actions scared me to death.

3. Focus on the task ahead.
Sometimes we question our own ability to “be better” especially if we have no experience of knowing ourselves as “being better.”

You must leave your past in the past. Most of our thoughts aren’t even our own creation. We are always intaking messages we hear, see or read. We don’t only absorb the positive messages. If you hold to self-defeating thoughts too closely you will trip yourself up in the present and block your vision of the future. Who you are today is not an indication of what you can be. Trust ME!!!

4. Surround yourself with TRUE supporters.
A supporter is someone who believes in you and your ability. (S)he is also a tough minded, compassionate and fair friend in the truest sense. This person holds you accountable to your greatness and calls you out on your smallness. A supporter wants you to succeed because when you win, they win.

I am not encouraging anyone to keep the company of sycophants, cheerleaders, critics, co-dependents, coddlers or fans. They will enable your every bad habit, create visions of you that you didn’t ask for and will drain you dry. You will be both puppet and puppeteer in a vicious game of pin the tail on the donkey. You will never get that target off your back nor will you avoid pinning it on unsuspecting others.

Finish What You Start – The Perspiration Journal© from Erwin Gonzalez on Vimeo.

5. Remember Life is a Marathon.
If you remember you are in the game for the long haul, it helps give you perspective. Each challenge can begin to feel bite sized. You don’t need to try to live your Life in one day. Live well, take charge of your health and there will be other greater opportunities presented. They may simply take a different form.

No one has ever left this planet perfect and no one will. Don’t do your best. Strive for excellence and you will always get the best result.

Next: Is Life Short or Are You Short-sighted?