Find Your Strategy

There is more to us than simple plans or ideas. We are more than goals and hopes or dreams. However, same as the physical affects the mental; our personal life affects the professional life (and vice versa).
And what do we want? How do we want to live?
These are important questions. What are the goals and more importantly, what can we do to achieve them? All of these questions consist of a unique formula. However, the truth is there is a simple answer to all of the above. The key to achieving our goals is to create actionable steps. This has to be realistic, achievable and sustainable. As simple as this may be, life is not easy. Work is not easy. And balance is not always so simple.

It is clear, of course, that some talents are not shared by all. It is also clear that although I believe in fair and equal treatment, there is a painful and yet obvious fact that we are not created equally, at least, not from a talent perspective.
We are all perfectly unique and individually packaged. There are different talents for different people. There are those who are athletes and those who are artists. There are musicians who are born to play and painters who were born to paint. There are those who can lead well and those who can understand numbers and finances. All of these talents come with a special and unique formula.

However, talent and skillsets are no different from living and breathing things. This means talent and skillsets need to be nurtured. For example, even the greatest athletes had coaching. Take basketball hero, Michael Jordan. This is a man who arguably perfected his game and yet, even he showed up for practice.
Or, if we go back to musicians and composers like Mozart who started playing piano when he was three—even he practiced. Or think of Beethoven who lost his hearing and yet, he was able to compose symphonies while he was deaf. None of this was an accident. In fact, as I update my thought; I am reminded of an old billboard that stood high above the Queens side of the 59^th Street Bridge. I would see this each time I crossed into New York City. The sign read, “Perfection is not an accident.”

There are countless books and speakers who look to package their methods to help people find their success. But first, we have to define success. We have to break this down in smaller increments. There are tiny successes, like, say, waking up and getting out of bed in the morning. There is the success of making your bed and heading out the door on time. There is the success of making a train on time and being on schedule.
There are other successes that are also simple—did you feed yourself today? If so, mark this off as a success. Did you manage to smile? Did you manage to say hello to someone you care about? Did you laugh? These successes are important. Our personal interactions can boost our energy and have a resounding impact on our daily life.
Next, are the bigger successes which stem from a promotion to a new job or better yet, there are the monumental successes that stem from our dedication to our best interest, This is why perfection is not an accident. We did not continue or withstand by accident. Not at all.

Perfection is not an accident. Instead, it would be more accurate to say that perfection is a formula. It is a strategy, method and series of tactics.
It is easy to lose our way to distractions. However, push backs and mishaps are often part of the plan. There will be downfalls and slip-ups, mistakes and meltdowns. Or, as we say in the recovery world, sometimes relapse is part of the process. However, there are two necessary ingredients to achieve the formula for success. Are you ready for them? Be consistent and be persistent.

This is the simple text; however, the design of your strategy and the methods and tactics are the plan you will create to reach your best potential.
Find your strategy by listing your goals and creating a plan to achieve them. Be realistic. Be honest, be clear and be sure to find the secret to your endurance because this is what keeps us going. Understand how to reward yourself. Learn when to rest and when to go forward. Timing is important. Effort is key but be advised; we are in the effort business. Not the result business.

[As per Dictionary.com]
Strategy: noun, plural strat·e·gies.

1. Also strategics. The science or art of combining and employing the means of war in planning and directing large military movements and operations.
2. The use or an instance of using this science or art.
3. Skillful use of a stratagem:
   The salesperson’s strategy was to seem always to agree with the customer.
4. a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result:
   a strategy for getting ahead in the world.

We all have a science that is unique to us. As for now, the morning is here and I am about to get up and go. This is a success. I have finished my cup of coffee. I am about to clean up, brush my teeth, wash my face, put on my clothes and brave the traffic that heads over the George Washington Bridge. This is a success.
I have managed to smile before the hour of 5:00am. I managed an email to discuss a new business plan. I have a schedule to keep. I have plans and goals to accomplish. As I see it; to reach the finish line of my day, I’ll have to be consistent and persistent. I will do this so that before I rest my head, I can come to a constructive conclusion and be one step better than yesterday. This is my goal for today.

What’s yours?