Building on last week there is one skill I have often negated to include in my magic pursuits and my life in general, this one process has catapulted me forwards and has left me feeling accomplished. Itâs in getting from A to B in the least number of moves.
When working toward achieving a goal there are moving parts that can be broadly broken down in to three; planning, focus, and checking-in.
The break down
âStrive for progress not perfectionâ â David Perlmutter
Planning
Plans donât need to be in-depth or detailed, you donât even need to write them down (but it has been proven to help). You can create a plan on a post it note.
Goal (with an end date)
Action (avoid overthinking it)
Focus
I now know that in order to progress I need to action my plan. My plan tells me I need to learn a 5 phase cups and balls routine - I MUST FOCUS on the plan. This is where discipline is required, and honestly I often slip from the plan, so to help stay focused I will be checking-in.
Checking-in
Intermittently asking;
âIs how I am spending my time right now helping me progress toward my goal?â
âAm I actioning my plan?â
Keep the steps lean
Next is to break the routine down into the core moving parts required to achieve the goal (learn a 5 phase routine) and stick to practising only those parts, this will help keep me firmly attached to my goal, and I can avoid getting distracted by miscellaneous moves, sleights etc.
So I need an opening sequence, 3 sequences where the balls do stuff, and the reveal of the final loads. no more no less.Done. Iâll let you know how I get on with this plan, the very act of sharing it here will also help hold me accountable to doing the thing.
Additional thoughts
Ultimately the above is all I need to begin the process of making progress, however I know there are many more factors that will play in to how much progress I will make over the next few weeks, for example; my energy level, head space, life tasks, personal life, the list can go on and on.
Really what is happening here is that I am not prioritising my practice right now for whatever reason, this is a painful cycle of inaction, I have this ideal version of my future myself who, for whatever reason, does not have these life hindrances and who is totally free of the present stress, itâs simply not realistic to think like this.
I think what it boils down to is regardless of my current state if I want to achieve progress the work has to get done. I mean, I manage to feed myself, go to the gym, do the washing, and attend bookings regardless of my state (within reason) these are things that just get done without negotiation.
In short
I'm striving to become a more disciplined version of myself, I have a few things nailed but I have much more to go, one step at a time. I must remind myself to be kind to myself, I was once a 5 year old and I wouldnât be this hard on that version of myself, so why would I do that to myself now? I guess what I am saying is;
Make a plan
Do the best you can
Check-in
and be kind to yourself, look how far youâve come since being 5 years old.
Share the accountability - reply to this email with what are you working on, I'd love to hear what's keeping you and your magic dreams ticking right now.
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đȘđ» Workout Plan:
Make a post-it plan
Stick to the plan, stay focused
Make some kind of progress
đ Magic Diet:
When looking around the subject of âmaking progressâ I came across this article about âprogress not perfectionâ which was a good read, you might find it useful too.
A Kindle - Ok Iâm not a big reader, I go through phases, but I did recently get myself a Kindle and it removed some of the friction of reading. I can just pick up my kindle and read a few pages before I go to sleep or when I am traveling on the move, which is better than nothing. Progress not perfection remember.
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