Progress – even if it is slow progress – is still progress.
Celebrate it!
With some things, as long as we are headed in the right direction, we do not need to know all of the details. We do not need to see the entire staircase – all we need is to see the next step and to step forward.
- Pratibha Anand
We must commit ourselves to the new habit, even if we face obstacles and challenges.
We must commit ourselves to the new habit even if we feel discouraged, angry, anxious, or depressed.
We must commit ourselves to the new habit regardless of what other people say or do and regardless of the circumstances in our lives.
Ultimately, though, we must take action.
Action is proof of commitment.
- Pratibha Anand
It can be easy to feel discouraged by what we consider to be slow progress.
We may feel impatient and frustrated that we aren’t getting to our goals fast enough.
We may feel defeated and want to give up because it feels like we’ll never get to where we want to go in our lives at this rate.
During these times, we may feel tempted to sabotage or abandon our efforts.
But we must remind ourselves that slow and steady wins the race.
We must remind ourselves that houses are built brick by brick.
We must remind ourselves that the journey of a thousand miles is traveled step by step.
We must remember that any worthwhile endeavor is worth being patient with and persevering through in order to do it well and sustainably.
- Pratibha Anand
Stop punishing yourself for not following through with your goals.
Start rewarding yourself for the times you do.
The flames of motivation are kindled not by dousing yourself with penalty and penance, but by positively reinforcing the desirable and the desired.
- Pratibha Anand
Progress is not linear.
Do not throw in the towel, postpone right action, or give into your bad habits or sense of defeat simply because you had a setback.
You are never back at square 1.
Remember that 3 steps forwards and 2 steps backwards is still ahead of where you were.
If nothing else, learn from your setbacks. Seek to understand what set you back and how you can respond differently and set yourself up for success next time.
Giving up is simply an excuse our bad habits like to use.
- Pratibha Anand
Do you have a different set of standards for yourself versus everyone else?
In some areas, we may hold ourselves to unrealistically high expectations and punish ourselves harshly when we do not meet them.
Conversely, we may let ourselves off the hook when it comes to certain actions. Even if we are not proud of engaging in these behaviors and even if we expect others to not engage in them, we may rationalize our actions to ourselves or simply claim that we cannot help ourselves.
In what areas are your standards for yourself higher than the standards you have for others?
In what areas are they lower than the standards you have for others?
Are your standards different for different people in your life?
What might this mean?
- Pratibha Anand
Seek the wisdom of your future self - ideally yourself on your deathbed.
Hindsight may be 20/20 - use your future self's hindsight to your advantage in the present.
What would the person at the end of your life looking back advise you to do or not do? To say or not say? To think or not think? How would they want you to care for yourself and others? How would they advise you to spend your time? How would they counsel you to spend your life?
Rather than simply thinking about it, write it down. Doing so can be a sobering exercise, but one that can save you from a lot of remorse and disappointment in the future.
- Pratibha Anand
Do you find yourself giving into the very things you told yourself you wouldn’t do when things get challenging or the circumstances you had expected change?
o The way we overcome getting side-tracked is by COMMITMENT.
o The way we follow through on our intentions is by COMMITMENT.
o The way we achieve the goals we desire is by COMMITMENT.
o The way we build the lives we desire for ourselves is by COMMITMENT.
Decide. Commit. Follow Through. Repeat.
- Pratibha Anand
“Doing nothing” in relaxation or in recharging oneself is better than pretending to do something and depleting yourself through distraction. – Pratibha Anand
"Sometimes success is more about emphasizing the positive than it is about trying to eliminate all of the negative."
- Pratibha Anand
March 13th, 2021
"Action > Thinking/ Planning.
Creation > Consumption.
Action generates momentum.
Action generates enthusiasm."
– Pratibha Anand
March 12th, 2021
"Do not think too long on anything. Nothing is permanent or irreversible."
- Pratibha Anand
March 11th, 2021
"Make a decision, do not revisit it, and stick with it." - Pratibha Anand
