But, you tell me, so many things are out of our control, aren’t they? Yes, there is a lot that happens in our life that is outside our control. But we all have a circle of influence within which we have total or partial control. We have control over what we do and how we respond to our circumstances. I have learnt through experience that getting upset, angry or worried over “misfortune” is a waste of energy. If there is something I can do to change the circumstances then I do it. If there isn’t, I deal with it and move on.

Never believe that your life is only ever at the mercy of outside influences. You can’t control the weather, you can’t control what other people will think or do, but by and large you are the greatest influencer you know. Use it to your advantage and spend less time feeling like a victim and more time enjoying the power that is at your disposal.

Another self-sabotage strategy is not being able to finish what you started. This means you will never get where you want to go. Again, my mother always pointed out my weakness in this area. (Mothers are great for doing this). When I fell pregnant with my first child she gleefully exclaimed “at last, this is something you’re going to have to finish!”

Being able to stick at a task and follow it through to the end will guarantee you success at whatever you tackle. We all tend to start new projects with great enthusiasm and boundless energy – much like we commence a New Year. But as time wears on our enthusiasm wanes and our attention is diverted to other more trivial things. One mistake we make is trying to do it (whatever it may be) all in one go and we assume that just because the idea is a good one that it will all come together without too much of an effort. But anything that is worth anything is worth working at. Be realistic about the amount of time and effort achieving your goal will require. Plan things out and set some milestones so that you can celebrate some gains along the way. This also helps you to look back and measure how far you’ve really come.

But the real biggie when it comes to not achieving your goals or failing to make improvements in your life is laziness. Lack of motivation, lack of energy and the “I’ll do it when I feel like it” mentality all stem from laziness. It reflects an undisciplined person. And it’s no coincidence that slothfulness is one of the “seven deadly sins”. It gets you nowhere and achieves nothing.

Don’t wait to do something until you feel like it, or until someone else provides you with an incentive. If you really want to achieve your goals make a plan, put together a timeline and then stick to it. A step by step approach which helps you to achieve small gains is the best way to motivate yourself. Make a “to do” list. Including a couple of things you’ve already done so you have something to cross of when you start will help motivate you. And if you are tired, eating well and doing moderate exercise will increase your energy levels. There is nothing better for sapping energy than inactivity!

Time will pass no matter what you do, or don’t do. Next New Year’s Eve will arrive all too quickly whether you set out and work at achieving your goals or whether you don’t.

Time passing – quickly or otherwise - is only a negative thing if you are not moving forward and progressing along your chosen path.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln “I'm a slow walker, but I never walk back.” Keep walking forward towards your goals and next New Years Eve check back on the year gone by and see how much you have accomplished. Then celebrate!

© W Rush 2008