2020 - a time for a new vision and new challenges
Well, all that New Year fuss is over and done with… we’ve been there with the usual resolutions that we don’t ever keep (anyone still at the gym?). So now is the time to take stock and set ourselves new challenges that might be something we actually achieve.
Here are my top tips for making a success of our challenges.
Choose your challenge - be brave
By all means try anything out but, to really make it a challenge it needs to be something you actually want to do. Also, is it something that you can fit in with your current commitments? There is not much point committing to a challenge that isn’t possible in the time you have available.
But, to give you the opportunity to benefit from the challenge and to grow personally, it needs to not be too easy, it should be a stretch, pushing you out of your comfort zone (SMART anyone!). So, be brave and go for it!
Practice, practice, practice
No one is an expert overnight! All our skills and abilities take practice, practice and probably more practice. Think about when you learnt to drive or the early stages of your career and how you moved through the levels of competence. When you start out you are generally incompetent even with conscious thought and it takes time to move through levels of ability until you reach the ultimate unconscious competence!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Not only will you need practice, you may well need help from an expert or, at least, someone more skilled than you. So don’t be afraid to ask for this help, most experienced practitioners are more than happy to share their skills and wax lyrical about their hobby or specialism.
Make time for reflection
There’s little point in being a success if you don’t celebrate it, even if it just with yourself and closest people. And don’t wait until you met the whole challenge, take time to reflect on milestones too. There’s nothing like a bit of positivity for keeping up the motivation.
I’m not suggesting you need to advertise your achievements in the national press or tell everyone you meet. But do make sure you reflect on what you have accomplished and bask in all the glory!
Lastly, enjoy and grow!
