I thrive on routine. A routine grounds me and creates the momentum that keeps me focused on my goals. Over the past few years, though, my routine has been disrupted—completely upended and turned in on itself. For many years, I woke up around 3:00 am to write and run. It was the one time of day, in that stillness, where I felt most at peace. I could hear myself think and focus for an extended period. Now, staying focused is a daily battle that I don’t always win.
The Power of Discipline
It’s hard to maintain your focus when you’re unsure of your why. You’ve set a goal for yourself—to write a book, exercise more, start a side hustle—without fully understanding the why behind the goal. And I’ve learned that without that understanding, it’s easy to let in distractions that wreak havoc on my focus. For me, those include streaming a series or movie, checking my phone (even though all notifications are off), or checking e-mail. That gives power to my inner critic, who’s always at the ready to belittle me—convince me that I’m not good enough, talented enough, or worthy enough.
Reclaiming my day, and ensuring I spend time on what matters, comes down to discipline. And being disciplined isn’t easy, either. So, I’m struggling (in part) because of my work schedule, which impacts on my sleep and, consequently, my energy level. Becasue living in a perpetual state of burn out makes creating and following a routine that supports my goals is hard. Hard. The key to achieving any dream is consistency. And “when you are aware of what discipline demands, you are more likely to choose to do the right thing.”1
The One-Day Focus Approach
I believe that we are here to live a purpose-driven life, and our purpose guides us to our true north. And my purpose is to write, to tell stories that challenge the assumptions we have of each other and ourselves. But when life throes you off course, it takes time to reorient ourselves, get back to what we know is true and right.
If you want to achieve your goals, be more present, feel more confident, and be happier, you must stop allowing other people to stress you out.2
As I think about what I want to accomplish, I’m working on not letting myself feel overwhelmed. I’m not taking other people’s opinions or expectations as my own. I’m staying focused on what I can control…one day at a time. My focus is on figuring out a routine that builds momentum and helps me achieve my dreams. And no matter how I feel, I will show up every day and do the work.
And let me remind you today that you are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. You don’t need anyone’s permission to be—wholly and unapologetically—who you are.
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