Taking your Ambition and turning it into Action!
Let's start with the definition of each:
Ambition - a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work
Action - a thing that is done, and not merely thought or spoken about / the process of doing something, typically to achieve a goal
You can have ambition without action
→ I really want to go to Europe and explore all the cool cities, architecture, amazing coffee shops, and restaurants…
But without action - you’ll never save the money, book the ticket, reserve the room, create the itinerary… you’ll never go!
→I have this strong desire to run a marathon in each of the southern states…
But without action - you’ll never buy the running shoes, start the rhythm of training needed, do the research to find your first date & location, book the ticket, reserve the room… you’ll never do it.
→ My big vision is to be an entrepreneur and run my own business, helping women achieve the life they really desire!
But without action - you’ll never sign up for the course, get the certification, file for your LLC and EIN#, set up your business account, create your marketing tools, devise your business plan… you'll never be that entrepreneur.
You can also have action without ambition
→ Like a hamster spinning in a wheel, constantly putting out fires, responding to all the immediate needs, focusing on the things that only bring instant gratification! But you never really getting anywhere and this "action" is not getting you any closer to your big vision.
Have you asked yourself:
Why is there no action?
Why is my action not moving the needle toward the vision?
Here are a few reasons why your ambition isn't driving your actions:
𝟙 You don’t have a plan at all - you don’t even know where to start. You’re just surviving, riding in the hamster wheel, holding on to a coffee in one hand and your cell phone in the other!
𝟚 You have a grand plan - you get started, then obstacles get in the way! You are too busy, too tired, short on time, overwhelmed, other priorities, illness, injury, relationships, or don't have the money.
And then what happens?
→ You either overcome that obstacle or struggle and move forward while building resilience & feeling strong, motivated & pumped up!
OR
→ You feel defeated, give up, and You quit. Then, that ambition, that vision, never becomes a reality. Chances are you start beating yourself up and even building evidence for why nothing works for you.
"Well, I guess I'm just not meant to... fill in the blank!"
"See, I've tried everything & nothing works for me!"
"It's all so easy for everyone else, why does it have to be so hard for me?"
𝟛 You have had a change of heart - and decide to shift gears all together.
Of course there are other reasons too, but I really want to focus on the second point of overcoming obstacles and building resilience, because that’s where I see most of my clients struggle. But first, just a few things on goal setting because we don’t want to have this great ambition, this amazing vision or goal, and then let it collect dust like that Peloton in the corner that has become a great clothes hanger!
GOAL SETTING:
How do you turn this AMBITION into ACTION?
How do you take what you dream up and actually implement it into your daily life?
How do you go from turning a wish into a goal, then into a plan with actionable steps?
There are a gazillion goal setting models out there - you can google "goal setting" and pick the one that suits you best! I recommend the SMART model or the WOOP model.
SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound
WOOP - Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Planning (also known as mental contrasting)
Sub Goals & Small Wins - break bigger goals into smaller bite-size goals & celebrating along the way
Why do you even need to use one of these models?
Our brains were designed to seek pleasure and avoid pain. So when confronted with something new, our brain is going to look for the easy way out. It's going to turn to your typical default mode. If your vision or ambition is to run a marathon, you'll have to start training. Your brain will try to convince you that it would be way better to chill on the couch!
You'll want to avoid Gung-Ho Syndrome. This is when you want to do everything all at once & hurry to achieve your visions/ambition. This usually leads to overwhelm, which tends to lead to quitting.
Taking baby steps will help with not getting overwhelmed. Start by building consistency first, then add the intensity, frequency and increase the duration.
Avoid all-or-nothing thinking. Even if you can't get to the gym for your favorite class or workout, you can still go for a walk or do a bodyweight workout at home. Even if you can't get home in time to cook a healthy meal, you can still choose to order a healthier take-out option. Just because you chose to indulge on Friday night, doesn't mean you have to throw out the entire weekend and "start again on Monday!"
Know YOUR WHY:
What is your WHY? And why do you want that? And why do you want that? And why do you want that? Keep asking until you peel back the onion - this is your WHY!
Not an outdated WHY or outdated identity or self-image, but a current, realistic one.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES & BUILDING RESILIENCE
As I mentioned before, obstacles will come without fail. Life happens- you lose a job, you get sick, you have an injury, your parents/grandparents are aging, your kiddo's schedule is out of control, you have a work trip, you have a vacation, the holidays roll around, etc... There is not a perfect time to work on your big vision! Obstacles and struggles are guaranteed. That's why it's sooooo important to be prepared for them. Because if you are not prepared for them, you will feel defeated & give up. You'll quit. And then that ambition/that vision never becomes a reality!
The most successful person isn't the one that is the most motivated or has the most willpower. She is the one that planned and prepared ahead of time to push through the obstacles and overcome lack of motivation and willpower!
Here are 5 tips to help with overcoming obstacles & building resilience:
𝟙 Use the Excuses - If/Then Scenarios Tool. Write out a list of all the excuses that you have used in the past that kept you from achieving your big vision/goal(s). Then write out a statement of what you will do when you have that excuse in the future, creating If/then scenarios for each excuse, aka “Plan B”.
Have a PLAN B for everything:
When you can’t make a healthy meal
When you can’t get to your favorite class or go to the gym
When you don’t have time to complete your nightly skincare regime
When you can’t make it to the grocery store
When you are unable to do meal planning/prep
𝟚 Foster meaningful relationships - Surround yourself with people who energize you, encourage you, inspire you, believe in you, invest in you and bring out the absolute best in you!
𝟛 Remove Distractions - Life is and will always be full of distractions, deadlines, demands, discontentment, detours and drama. It doesn't help that we are always seeking the quick fix and instant gratification! Create a list of things to stop doing to help eliminate these distractions.
𝟜 Have Gratitude for who you are, right where you are. Pause and focus on what you can do and have done, versus always beating yourself up for what you can’t do and haven’t done. Celebrate your wins- big and small! And try serving others - it shifts your perspective to gratitude.
𝟝 Use my Focus15 Tool to focus on the goal with a Daily RESET everyday! Repetition + training + practice = habit. Take 15 minutes each day to journal through these prompts:
R - Reflect on your thoughts, feelings & biofeedback
E - Evaluate your wins, losses & lessons
S - Sync Your Systems/Calendars
E - Examine Your Plan B
T - Tackle your top 3 Priorities
Focus15 is a daily habit/a system! Habits & systems are what help you reach your goals easier and with less friction. In my coaching, we focus on creating daily habits! They are what keep you moving forward when you are struggling with motivation, willpower, busyness, etc. When you have strong habits, obstacles become much easier to overcome.
To wrap it all up- setting goals and understanding how you will overcome them ahead of time is key to turning your ambition into action! You can have lots of action happening with no results. You can have lots of ambition with no results. Connecting the two is your key to success! Why? Because...
👉 If you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time...
👉 A goal without a plan, is just a wish...
👉 It’s a slow process, but quitting won’t speed it up...
I have a few free guides on my website as well as an interest form for my Group Coaching Program that will launch soon. If you would like the SMART Goal Setting, WOOP Method, Sub Goals & Small Wins, Excuses - If/Then Scenarios or FOCUS 15 tools, shoot me an email & I’ll send you the PDFs!
Looking for help with your Health & Wellness Goals? I work 1:1 with clients who are ready to reach their health & wellness goals, once & for all! Book a call with me to learn all about my program & how it can help you!
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