Have you ever wondered why some people struggle their entire lives and never achieve success while others seemingly stroll through without so much as working up a sweat? There are often internal and external factors at work, and unfortunately, sometimes hard work is not enough.
We all have dreams and it is important to have them in our lives because it gives us something to work for, a beacon guiding us into our port of destination. This could be a vision of who we want to be when we are older, things we want to achieve, how we want to live or a combination of goals. Yet people can often get caught up in the destination without putting the consistent work in or can get distracted and lose sight along the way.
Chase the direction, not the destination
As a lifestyle design and performance consultant, Josh Terry works closely with clients on a one-to-one basis using the fundamentals of human development to move them in a positive direction in a way that feels meaningful. He feels it is important to chase the direction rather than the destination, and furthermore, to take the next realistic best step informed by the dream.
Terry explains, “If I were to sum it up into something small that I say to myself often, it would be to ask yourself the question, “What’s the realistic thing I could do today that would make me better tomorrow?” And then go do it.”
Yet there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to self-development. We are all in different stages in our lives, living different experiences, and what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. This is why it is important to be able to tap into what you truly desire. We can often be influenced by external factors, whether it is social media, community, or family and friends with goals that we take on as our own. However, it is critical to ensure that the goals you are working towards are yours.
Play to your strengths, cut out the clutter
We often get hung up on trying to improve on the things we are not good at, trying to fix the things that are broken. Yet, this drives focus away from the things we are good at. We all have natural talents and skills, yet many people do not see how far they can go with them because they are too busy focusing on the things they are not good at. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the many options which keeps us from moving forward in a positive direction.
Terry says, “But the reality is, while it’s good to occasionally work on your weaknesses as an exercise, there are infinite things you can be bad at and finite things you can be good at. Which means you can waste your entire life doing stuff you’re bad at if you aren’t careful.”
By decluttering all the unnecessary things in your life, you can focus your time and energy on your strengths, develop your skills and experiences and pursue your passions. Your passion may not be profitable but there is an opportunity to share it with others and connect to others through it. While today’s world is a connected one, there are still plenty of meaningful connections to be made.
Use mental models as a tool
Mental models help you understand life, make decisions, and solve problems. From this, you can take better actions because you have gone through the process of critical, rational thinking. It helps you simplify complex ideas or situations so you can make better sense of them. For instance, if you are building a large company you need to take the time to break down ideas and work through them logically so that you can more insightfully move forward.
When faced with problems many of us fumble our way through it or run in the other direction. Yet by utilizing mental models, you can break down the problem into fundamental principles. Moreover, they can help you achieve better performance and productivity. It can also help to carve out a clear direction forward.
Mental models can be used in many scenarios and stages, not just when we people are working towards success or a particular goal. Often people who have “made it” struggle to know how to build on what they have already achieved or how to find meaning when they have already reached a certain level of abundance.
Final thoughts
Terry’s coaching helps people move meaningfully and with purpose through life, making better decisions along the way. It is easy in today’s chaotic world to get distracted and sidelined along the way, yet rather than focus on one destination, the importance is placed on consistently working towards a positive direction. He says, “Learn to go after what you want instead of running from what you don’t.”
