You Can Choose Action Or Self-Sabotage. What's It Gonna Be?
People fail to achieve what they set out to do NOT because they’re incapable, lack skill or talent, or, even because they “don’t have the time,” sorry. (When you really want something, you make the time every time.) People fail on their goals, hopes, and dreams because they don’t take enough consistent action.
I mean, you set all kinds of goals for the new year, but did you take action in January? Did you seize the first month of the year to start making good on what you want or did you cast everything aside “temporarily,” telling yourself you’ve got the rest of the year to ‘get ‘er done’ as you picked up just one more pint of ice cream you said you were going to cut out of your weekly diet, or as you walked by that notebook you bought to keep all your big business plans…
Look, I’m not saying you should have accomplished everything in January or that you should rush to the proverbial finish line. (Journey over destination, and all that jazz.) What I am saying is that the way you start sets you up for the way you finish. Start strong, end strong. None of this, “I’ll get to it.” or “Just after I…” or “One more week and then I’ll begin.”
You’ve got to TAKE. F*CKING. ACTION.
Actually, I’d like to amend that.
You’ve got to take the RIGHT f*cking action.
Let's pause here just for a moment, k?
Not every action is the right action. Doing any ole thing isn’t necessarily going to help you achieve what you’re setting out to. Choosing the wrong action actually sabotages your success.
I mean if you decide that once you’ve got your entire inbox cleaned up, then you’ll turn your attention to (insert long-term goal here) isn’t going to get you to the result you want. Unless, of course, a tidy inbox is the end goal. Your inbox might be cleaned up for the moment and feel good about that – at least until the next message lands inside (which won’t take long, BTW cuz I just sent you one) – but you’ve also just spent precious time addressing lower priority items that have absolutely nothing to do with your bigger goals. When all you are focused on is the immediate or the dumpster fires, those long-term initiatives that are going to get to where you actually want to go ain’t never gonna happen. Sorry.
I’m just providing one example here. Perhaps your self-sabotage isn’t coming in the form of taking the wrong actions. Maybe instead it’s coming in the form of doubting yourself, comparing yourself to others, or procrastinating entirely. Maybe it looks more like doing things to please other people. Or having an ‘employee’ mindset instead of a ‘CEO’ mindset inside your own business. However your self-sabotage shows up for you, it’s a way of stunting growth and keeping you from the amazing results you say you want.
And I’m specifically using the words “say you want” because saying you want something and taking intentional actions to achieve it are two entirely different things. If what we say and what we do, don’t line up then what we have is lipstick on a pig ladies and gentlemen. It’s still a pig.
Not sure whether you’re putting lipstick on the proverbial pig? Look no further than the actions you are taking. Because your actions will show you what you’re currently committed to. If you want a shift at work or to lose weight or find yourself in a happy, healthy relationship – whatever it is you’ve set your sights on – but you are not doing anything about it, well then you’re not actually committed to what you say you want.
Now, if you’re saying, “But Jen, I do want the things I say. I don’t know why I self-sabotage,” or “I don’t know how I self-sabotage,” then it’s time we speak. You’ve got to understand how and why you throw the wrench in your own success and thwart your own greatness from being unleashed on this world. That’s the only way for you to keep taking action and the right action.
No matter how you slice it or dice it – if you're standing still, not moving forward, not taking action toward the goals you’ve identified for yourself, then there’s a self-sabotage plot afoot. If you don’t learn to understand it and recognize it in yourself, you aren’t going to achieve what you set out.
So what are you going to do about it?
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The Unleash Your Greatness group program is the perfect place to start taking action. Bye-bye self-sabotage and limiting beliefs and doing things that don’t align with your brilliance or values. Plus, you’ll be inside a community of brilliant, talented, extraordinary leaders to hold you to account as you work toward that ‘end’ you have envisioned. Get the full details here.