How to Follow Sage Advice to Achieve Amazing Results

You’re not going to like the answer because, as it turns out, Nike had it right all along. If you want to achieve amazing results, there comes a time when you have to stop researching, stop reading, stop planning, stop analyzing, and Just Do It.

Plain and simple.

Okay, I admit, it’s not always so simple. However – if you dig down to the Nugget of it all, you’ll realize what’s stopping you from Just Doing It is emotional.

For some reason, you…just…can’t…seem…to…make…a…move.

It could be anxiety, nervousness, or any number of issues that leave you in a state of suspended animation, a mental paralysis that keeps you from accomplishing “Step 1”.

Whatever it is you want to achieve, you’ve done all the work, gathered all your thoughts, laid out all the tools you need, and Step 1 of “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life” is right in front of you. And yet you can’t make a move.

My Inner Eye tells me it all boils down to one thing:

FEAR

Fear of failure – fear of success – fear of rejection – fear of inadequacy – fear of amazing results – fear of (insert personal, psychological reason here).

It’s a crippling emotion – I’m sure you agree – and it doesn’t matter what your goal is, whether life-changing or life-tweaking:

• Lose weight
• Go back to school
• Change your career
• Redecorate the house
• Take up a new hobby
• Start traveling
• Become a yogi
• Practice meditation
• Go back to church
• Volunteer

The list literally goes on…

All of these things – anything you want to accomplish – start with a “Step 1”. And sooner or later, you have to take that Step.

Also, please know you’re not alone. We’re all in the same boat. We human beings are creatures of habit. Some of our habits are good and beneficial to our wellbeing – make sure you keep those.

Other habits aren’t so good. Bad habits should be discarded. If there’s anything the Cancel Culture should embrace it’s the canceling of bad habits. Bad habits should be replaced with new habits that are beneficial.

I know you know this already. You weren’t born yesterday and you’re a grown woman. And yet…

Even equipped with logical knowledge, the task of starting anew – anything new – seems daunting. Soon we become overwhelmed by the planetary-sized “Step 1” – a monster, incidentally, of our own creation – and we’re exhausted before we get started!

I’ve been there, believe me.

STEP 1

Usually, the only thing we need to get started is to take a deep breath and go SLOW.

Pick one goal, break it down into all its little pieces, and then take the first step toward that goal. And if all you can do is take that one step, remind yourself that Its OK. Because the only prerequisite you truly need is to cut yourself some serious slack.

Remember that life is not a competition. Measuring yourself against others will bring nothing but misery and is a complete waste of time.

And let’s talk about the Sage, the elusive fellow that’s giving you all this great advice you’re not taking. That sage is YOU!

Yes, You!

The reason your heart leaps when you receive sage advice from an outside source is that it rings true with your Inner Self. This is because You – your soul, your essence, your ancient True Self – already knows it.

It’s simply a rediscovery of intrinsic wisdom. You reveal something about yourself you had forgotten a millennia ago. It’s a magnificent feeling.

PROOF POSITIVE

I have to apologize for allowing months to go by without writing a post, but guess what? I was busy following my own advice! Of course, I stand by the 385 Life, I stand by the Art of Living with Passion and Wonder ©, but I’m human too.

I fall off the wagon just as easily as everybody else. I hold myself at a higher standard just like you. However, nowadays I make an effort to regroup when I find myself getting off track.

I may falter and sometimes it may take me a while to get back on track, but I’m always conscious that I have to get back on track. This brings me to what I’ve been working on lately:

Some time ago, I experienced a massive mind-blown moment. I realized that I’m not a blogger who writes, I am a writer who blogs.

That moment was crucial because up until then I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t succeeding as a blogger. The distinction that I am a writer first and foremost cleared it all up for me.

I was unsuccessful at blogging because I hated the blogging rules, and there are many. My hatred of blogging rules existed because they violated my writing rules, which is to share a concept or story with an emphasis on inspiration, motivation, aspiration, and admiration.

I had defined my life’s calling and that was a miracle in and of itself!

I seek to Change the World One Word at a Time ©.

And guess what, the blogging rules didn’t like that. And then I realized I didn’t like blogging rules getting in the way of how I’m going to convey a message or share a story.

By defining my inner calling with laser focus, I had set myself on the right path. And in the months since my last post, much has happened.

I realized my blog is an aspect of my overall writing career. My goal then shifted from “Become a Successful Blogger,” to “Become a Published Author.”

I had to break this new goal into many little pieces and take that Step 1.

Thankfully, I had already created a portfolio of all my skills and accomplishments instead of a resume. Sometimes it’s all in how you present the gift, right?

A resume begs, “please hire me”. A portfolio declares, “you need me.” See the difference? You can read more about that in this post.

That portfolio landed me my first freelance writing gig! And those initial steps were still beneficial to my new goal of authorship, but the steps moving forward had to shift under the lens of my new goal.

Instead of researching “How-to Blog Successfully”, I got busy researching “How to Become a Published Author.”

And then things really got rolling:

• I have over 40 published articles in the local paper.
• I’ve accrued those coveted bylines to fatten my portfolio.
• My portfolio is now properly fattened.
• I created an author website and portfolio.
• I attended a writer’s conference and learned A LOT.
• That conference lead to participation in a writers’ group with published authors.
• The writers’ group is mentoring me toward publishing my first book.
• I’ve devised outlines for several books.
• That conference also lead to participation in a writers’ guild.
• The Writers’ Guild lead to another writers’ nonprofit.
• I am now on the advisory board of said nonprofit.
• I will be teaching courses at said nonprofit.

There’s more but I’ll stop here because you get the picture. Besides…

This post isn’t about my accomplishments.

Not to mention the fact that I’m still not a successful blogger! LOL

I’m certainly not making $10,000 a month in affiliate advertising. There aren’t even affiliate links within this post!

Again, my purpose is to share a concept or story with an emphasis on inspiration, motivation, aspiration, and admiration. My purpose is to provide kinship and, more importantly, sisterhood. And if that means blogging without ads, and with minimal affiliate marketing, then so be it.

This post is about providing proof of what can happen when you start listening to your True Self, define what it is you really want, and then take the necessary steps – little by little, if need be – until you achieve amazing results. And you will!

THE TAKEAWAY

Listen to your inner sage and take your own advice.

It may be hard at first because we enjoy our routines. We actually depend on our routines and every new undertaking is difficult because of that dependence.

But if you want to change your life, if you’re looking for magic, and if you want to live a life full of Passion and Wonder, you gotta start somewhere! I hadn’t written a post in forever because I’m human and I was busy laying the groundwork for new routines.

I’m still in the beginning stages of these new routines, but I’m way passed Step 1 now, so it’s definitely getting easier.

As a matter of fact, I was lamenting to a friend about how upset I am that I haven’t been able to write a new post for 385 Life. And she said, “But, Cynthia! Look at what you’ve gotten done! You literally took your own advice and got busy formulating a new life. That’s the topic of your next post right there!”

Mind-blown moment #2!

And so, from one sage to another, if you want to live a life full of Passion and Wonder, I ask you to go slow, focus on one goal, break it down into small pieces, and trust yourself to take Step 1.

You’ll be happy when you start to achieve the amazing results I’m sure will follow.

Be Well!