Stop Holding Back

I’ve talked about the importance of reflecting in the past, but as you look at your current state and where you are at in your life it is most important to look at what is holding you back. What is stopping you from accomplishing your dreams, your aspirations or whatever it is that you have set out to do.

As a runner I claimed 1 Cor 9:24 as my life verse for many reasons.

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." (KJV)

First, it forces me to always think about where I am going, why I’m set out on the path I am and what it is that I want. Second, because it challenges me to look at what I have let into my life that is holding me back now. In the biblical sense, this is talking about sin, which we all deal with daily, but in addition to that sin there are things that may not be sin so to speak but have become part of your life now that hold you back, they waste your time or drag into other things that can lead to the wrong place. Ultimately these pull you away from accomplishing those dreams.

Before you go make any rash decisions you need to look at things from two perspectives. What is it that you are trying to accomplish and how is this holding you back from it? Is what you are trying to accomplish right, is it the right path for you? No doubt I could make an argument that my family holds me back from being the best golfer or maybe they are holding me back from a job promotion because I’m not as flexible with my work location. In reality my family is more important than that promotion or becoming that golfer, so it has to be put into perspective. This is not something holding me back, but on the other side is actually pushing me forward.

From the another perspective, maybe you have started playing a game on your phone, now at first you played to pass a little free time, but now you find yourself thinking about the game, the options, the next level, whatever it may be. To the point that now it is stopping you from focusing your attention on your family or your work, or whatever it may be. This would be something that by itself is not a problem, but when you look at it in its entirety it is holding you back from being the best you can be. These are the types of things that hold you back.

As someone that grew up loving video games, this is something I’ve had to check several times. I’ve deleted every game from my phone multiple times because they get in my way. They stop me from reading at night or from going to bed. Right now, I have to make a conscious effort to put them aside to focus my time on reading to better myself and prepare myself for a good night’s rest.

So as you look at your day, what holds you back? Maybe it is TV, or it could be something simple like day dreaming, or sleep or maybe it is something you drink or eat or social media. Any of these things can get in your way and stop you from becoming the best you. My challenge is to spend 10-15 minutes, listing out your day, or maybe throughout the day, write down what you do, how you spend your time and find that 1 thing that is holding you back. For me it is my own fatigue, no excuse, just a laziness to pick up that book and start reading. Once you get through that first page, the rest is easy, but the very act of picking up the book is the start. In order to do that, you have to identify the problem and get started, so take the time to analyze your day, identify that point of contention and get after it.

Be the best you!

Recommendations:

The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey: Not 100% tailored to the above but provides a great view on trying different things to improve your productivity each day. Everything from waking up early, to eating a liquid diet for a period of time. I found this to be a fun read, interesting and also challenging ourselves to be more efficient and use our time wisely. If you are Kindle Unlimited subscriber, this one is free.