Changing your routine and what you prioritize can be a game changer. When it feels a bit uncomfortable, practice leaning in. When you feel uncertain, this is an opportunity to create something you haven’t before. Take a chance on yourself!
Mystery writer Rita Mae Brown wrote, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” To create a difference, you need to think and be different.
Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.”
We cannot achieve something greater or different from doing the same things or thinking in the same way. Our growth will come from the practice of leaning into our uncertainty and discomfort.
DISRUPTING WHAT IS TYPICAL
Different doesn’t have to be hard. Being open to different has the potential to create something better. Lean in and give it a chance. Here are seven key strategies leaders have put into practice to achieve their goals more consistently and with less effort.
#1 You first. Are you taking the time needed to most effectively move the needle on the tasks that are a priority? To meet your goals and deadlines, taking time to recharge and reset is essential. Block time in your calendar for your priorities, both personally and professionally. Let what isn’t a priority become secondary, and remember to reset expectations for others.
#2 Hold your goals loosely. Have you experienced going after something, and it turned out even better than you imagined? Don’t hold tightly to how a goal is met; you may exclude what is potentially better. Listen with an open mind and entertain opportunities when presented because you can’t perceive ahead of time what better looks like.
#3 Assign meaning to what you do. Do you catch yourself just going through the motions of completing a task instead of enjoying it? When you assign meaning to what you do and how it benefits others, it becomes more fulfilling. Acting on purpose inspires you to go beyond what is expected and keeps you moving forward even when you experience setbacks.
#4 Take breaks regularly. Is your routine going from a meeting to doing a task, to attending a meeting, to getting on a call without a break? To operate at your highest level of productivity, experts suggest taking a break every 90 minutes mentally, physically, and emotionally. It reinvigorates and relaxes you. This could be as easy as plugging into your music for ten minutes, taking a walk outside or finding a quiet spot to take a breath and reset. One leader even left the building and went to an afternoon movie. Leaders found scheduling breaks boosted their energy, helping them be more creative and present for what was next.
#5 Share your goals. Do you keep your goals to yourself to reduce embarrassment if you don’t meet them? Share your goals with people you value and will support you in reaching them. Leaders stated that sharing their goals with another person made them feel more real and created a greater sense of ownership. Besides, sharing what you want to accomplish allows that person or someone they know to help you achieve your outcome with less effort.
#6 Meditate daily. Do you have at least five minutes a day to sit in silence? Discipline is a required ingredient when working to achieve your goals. Research shows that meditating as little as five minutes a day can increase your willpower, lower your blood pressure, reduce stress, increase concentration, improve your immune system, increase your self-awareness, and increase your happiness. Feeling calm and focused allows for more ease in achieving your goals. Leaders shared that it helped them reset emotionally and refocus during the day. It energized them, described as if they had taken a nap.
#7 Review your successes daily. Do you experience wins throughout your day and typically move on? Take time to note your successes and steps to make them happen. Think about what you did (the how) and what contributed to making it go well (the why). Leaders discovered it primed them to repeat what works and fostered a more positive mindset.
Remember, as you work toward achieving your goals, who you become as a person and a leader is the biggest part of your achievement.
YOUR MOVE
What strategies will help you move the needle as you move forward? Decide and make the commitment now. Schedule it, share it, and block the time for it. Doing things differently creates more ease, which is an advantage.
Align yourself with what matters most to you. Live your brand fully expressed with intention and purpose to play bigger!
Are you interested in having a conversation to explore how you can define your personal brand and accelerate your growth as a leader, individually or as a team? Send an email to book a complimentary 30-minute consultation.
