Do you see yourself coming out of this involuntary vacation, work from home, shelter in place (or whatever you would like to call it) period of time in our history as a survivor or someone who thrived and charted a new future path for yourself?
There is an old saying I repeated to myself before and during Navy SEAL training: "Train to compete -- not just survive."
This can mean you compete with others or just compete with yourself to be better today than you were yesterday. One thing I learned about this mentality is that you "never think about quitting when you think about winning."
The same mentality holds true today. We need to have a mindset that's all about thriving during change.
Here is a question to ask yourself: Are you in compete mode or survival mode? All of our situations are different, and I realize that struggling to find food for you and your family to survive and thrive is an issue for many at this time.
No matter what your situation is, your mindset to survive, thrive and recover from this period of time is up to you. You can wait and see what the outcome will be, or you can make your own outcome and start driving toward goals you have in your head that previously you just "never had the time to accomplish." Maybe now you do. As William Penn said, "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst."
What Kind of Goals Will Make Us Better?
Whether you're pursuing fitness and health goals, entrepreneurial and business goals, education goals, or family and relationship goals, all of them require two things: scheduling and work.
If it is not on the schedule, it does not exist. No plan or goal works unless you execute.
How you see yourself in the future is a very powerful tool in creating a path to get there. Not only do you have to expect it, you have to will it to happen. That means scheduling goals and working toward them. As we have the time to work toward our goals now, you should take advantage and set a course to make your future bigger than your past.
As Stephen Covey says, "If you treat yourself as you are, you will remain as you are. But if you treat yourself as you can and should be, you will become as you can and should be."
Here's how this applies to us and how you can create better expectations for yourself:
Make a list of three important things to do today:
- Minimize distractions like your iPhone, social media, binge-watching TV, etc.
- Work on the most important thing until it's either done or can't be moved any further.
- Go to the next thing on your to-do list.
You won't be perfect, but you can use time more effectively by focusing on one thing at a time.
We take for granted this most precious resource we have -- time, yet we complain about not having enough of it. It's the classic problem.
Understanding the Disruption of Today with the Right Mindset
Take time to think about this disruption to our society and where there may be opportunities for you. There have been events as well as revolutionary products that changed the way we live our lives, do business and interact with each other.
For instance, events like the terrorist attacks on 9/11 changed the way we think about security in just about every facet of our lives. It has disrupted the way many people travel, but created opportunities for security and security technology companies.
Take, for example, the invention of the smartphone. The device created opportunities for many entrepreneurs, from social media creators to app designers. In fact, Uber, the largest taxi company in the world, owns no vehicles -- just an app. The largest hotel company in the world, Airbnb, owns no hotels -- just an app.
Where does the pandemic cause disruptions and opportunities in business and in life in general? You may find that people will care more about cleanliness in the future in public spaces. People may avoid crowded fitness centers and invest in home gym equipment. More businesses may realize they can be just as productive (or more) working from home and not paying large rental property fees for a brick-and-mortar storefront.
Some foresee businesses having to invest heavily in medical-style cleanliness in the near future. Who knows? Will that middle seat in coach airline travel soon disappear? Not all disruptions are bad, but you have to be in a position to see these disruptions as opportunities and not only a vulnerability if you want to see change in your own future.
Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you’re looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.
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