Step Back

May 27

This writing is Certified Human

“Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” — Abraham Lincoln

The Obstacle

Sometimes things don’t go so well.

We struggle
Fail to perform
Get stuck
Repeat the same mistakes
Repeat the same patterns
Can’t get started
Struggle to maintain momentum.

Motivation doesn’t last
Systems not well established
Don’t take root.

We fall back on old patterns
Comfortable ways
Inefficiencies
Poor communication.

Because it’s what we know.

The Gift and Opportunity

We don’t have to be the best right now.

We won’t be good at something new
That’s okay.

Sometimes the start doesn’t go as planned
We are further behind than desired.

Rather than giving up or in
We can take a step back
Reset
Restart.

Build from the beginning
The fundamentals
The foundation
The practice.

If what we’re doing isn’t working
We can reset
Retry
Restart

Step back and get on the path of progress.

• Notice what is not working
• Step back before giving up
• Return to the fundamentals
• Restart with focus

CHEAT CODE: NOTICE → STEP BACK → RESET → RESTART → BUILD

The difference between what people say and what people do reveal the actual values they live.

It is easy to say one thing and do another.

It is difficult to do the thing you say you want to do with conviction and consistency.

Without a guide, coach, system, or practice to follow it is almost impossible.

Sequential steps in a system or practice help you get from being bad to becoming good.

There will be hiccups along the way. Good and bad days.

I watch people struggle to start and follow through with things they say they want to change in their lives.

I watch myself stutter to remain consistent in the things that I say I value when it becomes inconvenient.

Sickness gets in the way of working out, exercising, or getting stuff done.

Sometimes certain things have to take a backseat depending on priorities and the season of life.

It is hard to do everything at once. Sometimes things need to be paused and restarted at a later date.

We can’t do everything at once. Sometimes it is better to do fewer things, but do those things better and with more focus.

Sometimes we need to take a step back.