Turning Your Breakdowns into Breakthroughs
The Do It Scared™ Podcast with Ruth Soukup provides weekly motivation, inspiration, and practical instruction for anyone tired of settling for “good enough.” Each week we tackle topics like goal-setting, overcoming procrastination, finding the time, energy & know-how for accomplishing our dreams, and overcoming the obstacles that stand in our way. Don’t miss an episode; subscribe here.
You know how you think things should go. Whether you’re making plans for the day or trying to launch a new website, you have a picture in your mind that’s so vivid it already feels real. As long as nothing goes wrong, everything should be fine.
Here’s the only problem: something WILL go wrong. It’s inevitable. It’s life.
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It’s good to have a plan, but it’s another thing to have expectations. Why? Because you’re probably expecting everything to be perfect. And here’s the thing: perfection is a myth.
Bad things will happen. Things will go wrong. Mistakes will be made over and over again. The only way we can stop being victim of our circumstances is to stop expecting everything to go right. Once you get to that place in your mind, you’ll begin to see your mistakes as misfortunes as what they really are: opportunities to learn, adapt, and grow.
In Episode 5 of the Do It Scared™ podcast, I talk about our imperfect need for perfection and explain why you’ll be so much happier once you make three fundamental changes to the way you approach obstacles and problems. Once you do, you’ll see that even the worst breakdowns can lead you to your biggest breakthroughs.
Take a look at my tips below or listen to the whole podcast on iTunes or on Google Play. (Or just search for “Do It Scared” on your favorite iPod app!) Never miss a new episode by subscribing on iTunes.
ACCEPT OBSTACLES AS NORMAL
Everywhere you look, it seems like everyone else has everything together. You see other bloggers with sites that are taking off and seemingly perfect lives and plenty of time to brag about it online. But nobody is perfect. In fact, perfection doesn’t even exist.
All of us encounter unexpected obstacles on our path to success. The universe isn’t against you (although it sometimes feels like it!) Once you begin to realize that obstacles are a normal part of life, you take away some of the power they have to throw you off-course. EXPECT to see obstacles and don’t beat yourself up when they come.
LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING
Everything is a potential learning experience – even catastrophes. Looking for the silver lining isn’t about pretending everything is okay when it’s not. And it’s not about putting on a blinders to the reality of the situation you are in. It’s just the opposite. It’s facing your obstacles and mistakes head on, and having the courage to admit where you could have improved, and the self-awareness to realize what you could have done differently.
It’s all about seeing obstacles and setbacks as opportunities. What could you have done to avoid a mistake? How will it change your approach in the future? When you lose, you really win.
ADOPT A GRACE MINDSET
When you stop expecting perfection from yourself, you also need to stop expecting it from everyone else. (That wouldn’t be fair!) Sometimes our expectations are so high that other people are bound to disappoint us, and that isn’t healthy for anyone. All it does is foster bitterness.
Having grace for yourself and those around you will make it so the obstacles you face have less of a negative impact. Be humble. Be kind. Be generous. Be encouraging. Be forgiving. Instead of blaming yourself or anyone else for the problem at hand, learn from it and understand that whatever you’re up against will be something that helps you down the road. You can do this!
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These are just some of the highlights of this episode! You can listen to all of Episode 5 on iTunes or on Google Play. Visit doitscared.com for show notes from this episode, and never miss a new episode by subscribing on iTunes.
