WHY YOU STRUGGLE TO MAKE PROGRESS

 ORIGINAL  Series: Episode 02

An afraid man struggling to make progress/Credit/Karolina Kaboompics

Mentality

For a minute, let’s get inside your thoughts. What is happening inside? Are you at your best mentally? What is your attitude made of? As you think about that, this is what I wanted to say. That your thoughts determine, or shape your character. What is seen on the outside is a manifestation of what goes on inside. The things that you think about all the time, and how those things make you feel. Gradually creates the person that we see in the physical environment. Therefore, how you use your mind, and the things that you allow in your mind go a long way shaping you the individual. Your character is like you being weighed on a scale. The number that we see on the scale represents everything that is made of you. Believe system. Your thinking patterns. Your execution methods, and your perception of your world. What is it that you see when you open your eyes? 

Do you see opportunities, or obstacles? Your thoughts can either create this positive, and highly energized individual who celebrates being alive. Or create this type of a person that curses every day. There is always something that is upsetting this person. It is always not enough. So the best that the person does is react with circumstances. Don’t be that person. As an individual, sieve yourself, and established that you are A Not B. Take time and reflect on yourself, and how you live your life. The choices you make every day. Things, and people that you embrace every day. Are they the right things, or people? Are they the exact people, or, things that you wanted at that particular point in life? This is important. You have to define yourself, and that definition begins from the mind. Saying that you are A Not B means choosing your values, and things that define the authentic you.

There are a lot of people in the world. And people do different things. The mere fact that you are doing something does not necessarily mean that you are doing the right thing. The world is also full of people who do things simply because other people are doing them. Some people do things because that is how they have been socialized. Don’t be that kind of person. Do things because you want to do them. If, you see another person gets married for example, don’t think that you also need to get married. You are not ready. That is not authentic you. If, you find yourself doing things because other people are doing them, you are just reacting to events happening in your environment. This is also one reason why people in the same environment are not always on the same level. Some are successful. Some are not, and this characteristic extent in the larger society. We have those differences.

Some people up there, and some people down here. The differences we see result from how we think, and use our thoughts every day. Some people dream of something, and get to work, while other people have nothing significant going on inside their mind. Therefore, if, you have been struggling to make progress recently, you know where to look. Examine your thought process, and quantify whether it is serving you positively or negatively.      

Identity

Do you know who you are, or are you still struggling to find your identity? When people are struggling to find their identity, they do a lot of things. A lot of things, which could qualify as regrettable had they known themselves. For example, you are a student, and what you do most of the time is hung among non-students. The non-students like drinking. Having conversations deep into the night. Play loud music without caring about other people. And there you are, also doing exactly the same. How does playing loud music for instance, help your education? Though music has its own benefits in education if, applied correctly. You don’t need to be a student to struggle with your identity. In fact, identity is one area that many adults struggle with. And we have so many people who still don’t know themselves. So if, you are not among the lucky few who find themselves at an early age or just early enough to catch their dreams. 

You have got work to do. You will not make meaningful progress in life until you define you, and why you behave the way you do. You just need courage to keep looking. There are always signs. Things you find yourself doing voluntarily is one of the signs. The activities that you complete effortless, could easily give you a glimpse of what your purpose could look like. Get over the nonsense of pleasing other people. You matter so much. The only person you should work hard to please is yourself. Work on finding yourself and things that define you. When you find who you are, you will enjoy being alive. You will be able to live a free, and abundant life that will give you the freedom to become anything you have ever wished to become. I am reminded that you can only get what you ask for in life. Trust me, you would not know what to ask for, if you do not know who you are in the first place. Start by knowing you, and the rest will follow. The influence, and impact that you have for the world will only unfold once you unlock yourself from the inside.

Expectations

Do you ever expect anything from life? What is your perception like, when you look at things and life itself? How do you define life? Is it just another happening, or you see some worth being on planet earth? What does life have to offer, for you? Do you believe in it, or is life an accident? How about people? What do you expect from them? Good, or bad? You need to begin believing, and expecting big things from life. Life has a lot of things that you need. However, you must position yourself to receive. Receiving does not just happen. You have to work for it. You need to develop some level of positive expectation. Expect that life will reward you for every hard work, or innovation. Expect that you can sit on top of that mountain. You will go to your favorite destination. Even expect that when you pray, someone will hear you.

You have to work for progress. You have to want it. You have to fight for it. You must go out, and look for progress. There is nothing that is given for free. You know, east eggs might disagree. But even that inheritance might not amount into progress if, it is not managed well. You need to do something. Work for anything that you want to own, or achieve. People that you see soaring high in your community or country are no gods. They are just ordinary people who are thinking differently. And if, you admire what they have, you can also have it. Just raise your expectations, and do things that will get you to whatever you want to see happen.

Belief System

Expectations, and belief system sort of go hand in hand. If, you expect something, you must also believe that you will get that something. The thing that you always admire, or want so bad. Do you believe that you can own it? Do you believe that you can own an electric car? Do you believe in success or defeat? Attract the change, and things you need by believing in them. See them first in your mind then work on them physically. Go see how an electric car looks like. There is a Tesla Model 3, and Hyundai Sonata for example. If the thing that you want is tangible, get it. Take their photos, and save them somewhere, and have your mind look at them until it believes in it. Believe in yourself that you are made of good things. That the world is made of good things, and people. That you can have whatever your mind thinks of as long as, you can work for it. Learn to develop a positive mentality to catapult your belief system.    

Role Models

Do you have any? Are you prepared to reach their peak? Do you have a plan of how you would want to achieve the same measure of success they have achieved? Do you have the courage they have? Their level of enthusiasm, discipline, determination, leadership, and everything else they have sacrificed? Will you pay the price? The special thing that your role model has, how will you get it? Why are these people your role model? What makes them great for you? And how will having what they have make your life better? You know, a lot of questions. The people that we look up to act as a guide. They clear the way for us. We develop some level of optimism, and hope that we can also become anything we dream of most of our lives. Through your role model or models, you know what is possible, and achievable. And when you know that it is possible, and achievable, all you need to focus your energies, and efforts is obstacles. Work on the things that are likely to prevent you from achieving it. 

If, for example, you admire the car, house, wealth, and anything good that you see in your role model, think of the next likely obstacle. If, it is money, how do you get money? If it is courage, and confidence in yourself, how to do get to confidence? How do you become your own person with your own mind, and voice? There is work to be done. Are you willing to get the work done? Now that you have seen, and learned that whatever you admire is achievable, is your mind ready to get you there? These are important questions to ask yourself, and even reflect on if you are looking to make progress. I personally love my role models. They inspire me. They make me want to get out of my sweet dream at night, and go do something. What about you?

The Company

We are at it again. The company you keep, defines you. The people you associate with most of the time tell a hidden story about you. You must be careful to only keep the right company. People that challenge you to become better. People that inspire you to follow your dreams. People that make you feel like you can conquer in the jungle. If, you want to travel so far, you need the right people for that to happen. So you must have a criterion, or criteria you use to choose your friends, or people you deem important to you. You will only end up with the right people if, you know who you are first. However, if, you are still struggling with identity, the possibility of ending up with the wrong people is high.  We saw what bad company can do to a good life. The snake drove Adam, and Eve out of the beautiful garden. They had everything in that garden.

However, as a result of entertaining a wrong person just for a few moments, they had to work for everything. You don’t need wrong people in your life. You don’t have to sweat it all the time. You only need to define yourself, and you will easily see the kind of company you need to make progress. What makes some people in the same environment soar, or fail depends on things that are within control. You can control your thoughts, belief system, expectations, and identity. You can also choose to make meaningful progress, or derail yourself. You have the power. Use your power carefully. Make the right decisions. Make the right calls. Choose the right people. Believe that you can own an electric car. Just take care of your mind. Allow it to work with you not against you. Don’t struggle, soar.