Perseverance The last stretch BLUES

We are all subject to it at one time or another. You’ve had this goal for a certain time. You’ve been working at it diligently, strategizing and prioritizing as you went along. Actions have been taken following your laborious planning chart and BOOM! A dry spell strikes.
You’re right there; you can just about taste it. Everything is in place, it seems. The project is a theoretical or virtual success! Nothing concrete is happening! Questions scramble your well organized thoughts and the merry-go-round starts.
You check every element again. You double check your critical path to see if you’ve forgotten anything. You start wondering if this was a good idea after all. You question yourself so much that doubt seeps in.
You catch yourself day-dreaming of the success you anticipated after so much effort. Your creativity is at a stale-mate and penmanship has also gone dry. That’s the last straw! Pretty scary, isn’t it?
After all, you’ve met the challenges, found solutions to unexpected problems, and reoriented the project to guarantee its successful outcome. You’ve calculated everything; you’ve even developed your resources accordingly. You know you have a sound judgement. Why is this happening?
Well, this is what I call the LAST STRETCH BLUES. Sometimes, we’ve worked so hard for so long that we almost come to a stand still and fail to see the progress we’ve made. Some people even start sabotaging their own success by their impatient comments or actions, neglecting to see the damage they inflict on their own success. Sad indeed, isn’t it?
Where’s that little push, where Oh! WHERE are those results you so expected! After all, you’ve consecrated most of your spare time as well as those long working hours, going step by step, towards your goal!
Let me let you in on a secret. IT IS HAPPENING, RIGHT NOW, RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE. Unfortunately, you don’t see it anymore because you’re looking for a SLAM-DUNK.
Lately, I’ve gone through such a spell and found my trigger to action and hope. Let me share my little story with you.
I had come to realize that my motivation was dwindling. My agenda was blotched with scrapes and scratches as I kept putting off parts of my scheduled tasks. My bulletin board inherited notes of things to do. Even my colourful, clear pie chart didn’t seem so attractive and transparent any more.
Prioritizing didn’t make things better. It only seemed to increase the load and confusion. I even tried to split tasks in tiny increments and was still staggeringly late at producing results.
A little discouraged, I reflected on motivational elements.
My daughter had given me a bright yellow, glossy calendar with golden trimmings. Somehow, it inspired me!
Yes, I was going to write every little thing I accomplished. It was a plan.
Six weeks later, I can tell you that this was a brilliant idea. Now, I contemplate what I have accomplished rather than cross out elements from my to-do list. It’s a great motivator that I’d recommend when you are at the end of a huge project.
You know what still needs to be done but you’re sort of winded by the last stretch. So when your energy drops and each effort seems out of reach, get yourself a cheerful calendar and start compiling all your itsy-bitsy achievements.
Amazingly, you’ll accomplish more with pride and joy. The change of perspective lightens the burden and gives you wings again.
Now, a smile pasted on my face, I glance at the golden trimmings of my calendar. The filled spaces are a statement to my commitment to move forward and edge my way towards my final goal which, in fact, I now realize, is only inches away!
Turn that last stretch into a celebration of all accomplishments and see yourself become energized and soaring to unexpected heights!
Happy trails!

Elizabeth McNally
Mentor & Licensed Certified EI Coach, Certified Traumatologist http://guidancequest.com
info@guidancequest.com

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