Trust in the process

As we begin the new year, I would like to congratulate you on a job well done in the year 2020. Even if you may have not checked all your goals off your list, congratulations on doing your best. For every goal that you missed the mark, re-evaluate, reflect and change your strategy and give it a go again this year. Without a doubt, 2020 has produced massive growth in many people. Growth happens in uncomfortable places. Just like many others, you might have a list of dreams and goals you would like to achieve in the year 2021and beyond. Remember study shows that, having a goal written down gives you a better chance of achieving that goal. This is because when you write your goal down, it gives you more clarity on what you want to achieve. It also helps you to remember all the specific details. Just as personal growth is a process, achieving your dreams and goals is too. As we start the year, allow yourself to enjoy the process and learn not to go through it uptight.

If there is one thing 2020 taught me it is the fact that life is uncertain. You might change the strategy to achieve your dream but the ultimate vision remains the same. To be able to enjoy the process in a world full of uncertainties you ought to have a strong enough WHY, to pull you through the hard times. Trusting in the process is believing that the end result of your vision will be worth all the struggles that you have to face throughout the process of getting there.  Everything worth having has to undergo a process for it to exist. You have to be able to look past the current mess, celebrate small wins until your goals come to fruition.

Focusing on your daily habits, your small victories, and the process of getting to your end goal even when it seems like nothing is changing shows that you are trusting in the process. As you may have heard, Rome was not built in one day. Remember little by little adds to a lot. Keep focusing on the small steps, when you look back, you will see the giant leap.

Concentrating so much on getting to the goal can take away your ability to be present during the process, to soak in the lessons you need in order to sustain your ultimate vision. Wanting to achieve your goals through instant gratification will not allow you to build your character and develop yourself. Throughout the day, week, month, and year we should keep in mind that small wins are the ones that compound into huge accomplishments.

Here are a few pointers on how to enjoy the process.

1. Practice gratitude

when you practice gratitude, you attract more things to be grateful for. Gratitude shrinks the scarcity mentality. Whenever you feel weighed down, try listing all the things grateful for, that would cause your mind to gravitate towards solutions.

2. Look at failure as a learning process.

How we deal with failure will determine how we will end the race. John Maxwell says we should learn to ‘fail forward’. We can not be stuck in our failures, failed strategy, failed relationships failed startups. All we can do is reflect, learn, and move on.

3. Be intentional with what you feed your mind.

You are what you constantly take in. garbage in garbage out. surround yourself with people that speak life in you. Being intentional with what you feed your mind does not mean you live in denial of reality but being in control of what you focus on.

4. Believe

whether you think you can, or think you can’t you are right – henry ford. You have to believe in your vision for you to enjoy the process.

5. Reflect

five years from today you will arrive, the question is where? There is nothing more frustrating than arriving at a destination and realizing it’s the wrong one. Continuous reflection will bring you back on track when start losing your direction.

6. Rest When Necessary.

Look at success as a marathon and not a sprint. Resting for many people might seem like a pullback, but the pullback is a way to catapult you to your goals. Give yourself some rest when necessary. Lack of rest might lead to one giving up on their dreams because they would have reached a breaking point. Not getting rest makes you go through the process frustrated.

There are many strategies that can allow one to enjoy the process. If you would like to share please write it down in the comments below.

I wish you all the best in achieving your goals in 2021 but remember to trust the process! Happy New Year.  Cheers to continuing your personal growth process.

tanyafungai