Believe you can
Updated: Jan 13
I want people to believe they can strive for what they want in life with as much consistent effort they can muster. I want them to believe that keeping going, with an openness to keep improving will get them there in the end.
Yet big projects are especially challenging. Breaking them down into bite-sized chunks can still make them look mountainous and there could also be unknowns that need creative energy and innovation. Writing my academic thesis made me feel very unsure of what was going to be 'enough' and when/how I would cross the finish line. Meeting other people's standards with the finished product certainly adds another dimension beyond personal challenge. Yet to convince others through writing needs belief instilled in oneself.
I ask people with a personal project about their
1. Clarity of intention(s) (because this will probably get them better support from others)
2. Their motivations (because this will help them understand whether they have the intrinsic energy to drive their intention)
3. Regular reflections on (1) and (2) and also what might help to fill any lack of skill/knowledge/philosophy/resources (because they will have new understanding as time progresses)
I may also encourage some regular accountability on progress and risk factors. Contact me to find out more.
If the end-date of a project is not fixed that's helpful, because persevering, learning and innovating can provide the feedback about how we are progressing, so we can adjust and ultimately achieve. To work on one's life purpose, we hopefully can believe that we have all the time that we need.
In most projects there is an end-date, that inevitably adds pressure, and more risk. I'm a pragmatist and want to get any such 'elephants in the room' out into the open - i.e. face the risk - rather than just keep going with positive belief. Better to get some honest feedback about where you are now. Businesses do this all the time - they plan operational yardsticks on which they're going to measure progress while they juggle many projects with deadlines. Some projects projects may need to be stopped. The business needs to know it won't in future run out of money or other resources, customers or other support, so that the business survives.
For group projects, I do hope you have a project management process in place. It may help everyone to have clarity and belief that collaboration can succeed.
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