When you listen to a podcast or read a book about someone who has succeeded in any field, be it sports, business, family, arts, you realize that there is a lot of intentional preparation behind it.
I’m not talking about discipline on the technical side. A marathon champion trains a lot.
I’m talking about the intention, the thought structure that brought him to this result.
“I worked for years in an office. I was bored. I couldn’t stand my boss. That’s when I started asking myself questions about what I wanted to do.”
“I had good results but I couldn’t break through, one day I sat down and started to think and understand why”
“I realized that I was losing contact with my family, I was too absorbed by my job, until one day I said to myself this must stop.”
Photo by Sage Friedman on Unsplash
The thought process.
Formally or informally, a process of reflection begins. A new direction is taken, hundreds of adjustments are made, and the person has entered the virtuous circle of continuous improvement.
But nothing happens (or very little) before this process.
I have read more than 300 books related to the search for improvement.
I have accumulated a lot of understanding on this subject. But the acceleration in my relationships, fitness, career, and finances happened the day I intentionally blocked out time to reflect on my life.
It seems daunting. 😀
How to reflect on my life?
It’s hard to start, but you feel better afterward. In the famous matrix popularized by Mr. Covey, it’s in the category “not urgent but important”. That’s where we need to spend more time.
The reality. It’s not that complicated on paper, but it requires real intention to block the time and initiate the process.
The 4 steps that worked for me.
- One day of deep reflection to start the process. I used the blueprint. Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want Book by Daniel Harkavy and Michael S. Hyatt
- An annual routine. Review and adapt the life plan and projects.
- Write in my journal every day and review my notes at least once a quarter.
- Set quarterly goals in line with my life plan. Block out time in the calendar to make them happen.
This is what most successful businesses do. We are often involved in this process at work but rarely do it in our personal lives.
Don’t Wait to Regret.
In the beautiful book “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware,” no one says, I wish I had spent more time at the office, or I wish I had more money but rather…
- I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
- I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
- I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
- I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
- I wish that I had let myself be happier.
By dedicating time for your reflection. You do everything you can to live intentionally and reduce your chances of regretting it later.
All the best in your search.
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