Is Personal Change Quick or Slow?

We live in a time where instant gratification is the norm. So often we run on this burning desire to experience fulfillment without delay. If we are hungry, we order something right to our door, if we’re bored, we can download any movie or show onto our computer, and if we need a ride or a date, there’s an app for that. We are so used to everything we need being right at our fingertips instantaneously.

But, what about our personal goals and desires for self-improvement?

When it comes to achieving progress, many times, we quit on goals that we set because we don’t see instant results.

We tend to look past the fact that some things do, in fact, take time. It seems easier to withdraw from the situations that appear difficult or require a lot of effort. The problem with instant gratification is that we don’t see any long-lasting results because it is only satisfaction at the moment. But, with goal-setting, it’s important to focus on the course that you take in reaching the outcome.

We learn more from the obstacles that we face in our journey than just reaching an end mark in a timeline we set.

Building up confidence and changing your mindset takes a lot of time. Don’t let time scare you, let it help guide you. We are always trying to live ahead of ourselves, looking past the present and fantasizing of a later date. Don’t live for tomorrow, live for today. Instead of daydreaming about what can happen in a month or a year, focus on the 24 hours you currently have in front of you.

Even one step in the right direction today can bring you closer to where you want to be down the road.

Start out small and go from there. Move at a pace that feels comfortable for you, yet still, challenges you. Setting small goals is very important and will help in achieving your long term goals while making them seem less overwhelming. Sure, managing your time and your tasks are essential, but so is managing your energy.

You only have so much energy to utilize in one day so make it count!

Keep in mind that it’s easy to feel enthusiastic one day and then the next find yourself suffering burn out. When we set a goal for ourselves, we are ready, excited, and pumped to move forward. But, like drinking an energy drink, after that initial burst of energy, we begin to crash. One thing we have to remember is that there is nothing that replaces time and dedication.

You will not feel satisfied after just setting a goal because you haven’t achieved anything yet.

And why is that? Because you haven’t put in the time! Be patient, take things one step at a time, and figure out a method that works best for you. Once you’ve created a recipe for success, you can slightly tweak this recipe to fit any goal you wish to achieve. Just remember not to cut any corners or change the key ingredients for the sake of saving time.

What appears to benefit you in the moment doesn’t always seem that way in the long run.

If you’re baking a cake and the recipe calls for baking powder, but you decide to do without it, then you can’t really be shocked to see your cake fall flat. And if you are setting a goal for yourself but decide to take short cuts, then you can’t expect to see full success. Put the same energy into your goals that you hope to see back in return. Discover what works best for you, build up a support system, and move forward in the right direction.

Each day is a new opportunity to work towards being the best version of you!

You won’t feel satisfied right away because you can’t see the big picture yet. Plenty of days will come and go where you doubt yourself and think it’d be a lot easier to just throw in the towel. But moving past those sluggish days will actually motivate you more in your future aspirations. Looking back you’ll see the progress you’ve made, and it will add to your drive of wanting to achieve more.

We all have goals and ambitions whether big or small that we’d like to achieve in life. Why not start now? There is no better time to jump into something new that will add value to your life. Whether you decide to dip your toes in first to test the waters or you want to dive right in, it doesn’t really matter. Either one will get you swimming towards your self-improvement success!