By Klaus Döring
Very often, we asked ourselves this question. That’s normal. That’s human. If you are on the track of someone or something, you are trying to find them, or find information about them.
Even though you didn’t get the job I think you’re on the right track because you’re getting lots of callbacks for interviews. Don’t worry, you’ll get a job offer soon.
We’re on track for completing the prototype by the end of the month. Looking positively.
I just had my performance review and my boss said I’m on the right track for a promotion next year. Congratulations. You deserve it.
“Help! I can’t finish this algebra equation!” “Calm down and keep thinking, you’re on the right track.” My mathematics professor mentioned this a thousand times.
Many times we compare our life with a way. We talk about a “human life way”. We describe a determined human such as, “He’s on the right track (way)”. We must make our tracks, but we will take a path across a rice-field. We learn that there are many ways to solve problems. We also don’t want to stand in other people’s way. Sometimes we prefer to keep out of someone’s way. Sometimes, we already plan to get someone out of our way. It just happened in my surroundings. Most of all, we do try to find the golden middle course. “Hay nako” – that’s the hardest task in life!
Many different ways have been offered to us during our whole life. Whole life? I am 69 now. Whole life? Hmmm, let’s wait and see and have a cup of tea! How can we be able to choose the right way? The correct one? Which signs can be trusted blindly? These are urgent and vital questions for all of us, and, during this time, important like never before. In the past traditions and custom demands have been produced our ways unquestionably. Nowadays permanently, constantly and continually we must think about decisions and look for the correct plan – but, more and more alone!
Today’s man is like a ship’s captain. This ship contains solid iron. The compass needle is no longer able to show the Northern direction as expected, because of the ship’s iron inflexible body. You only have one choice: look up to the stars and study their guiding support. A very wise idea by German atom-physicist Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976).
We are all happy and proud while having the perfect means at our disposal. On the other hand, our blindness allows us to intricate and confused destinations in life, aims, goals and objectives. We all know the headlines of our daily life, which always turn us away and distract our views to the stars – means to say: to God.
When we first set out to accomplish something, nothing can stop us. We have a dream and a deep belief in ourselves that we will achieve that dream. Then somewhere along the line, life gets in the way. We lose our focus and begin to feel stuck. These plateaus are a normal part of progress – even top athletes experience them. The trick is to stay on track even when it feels like the last thing you want to do.
Staying on track with your goals when everything seems to be working against you is hard. But with the right strategies, you can learn how to stay on track no matter what.
1. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY: When you get off track, do you blame the track? Or do you understand the role of your own decisions and actions? Get on track by first realizing that you are the architect of your life. You can design it to be anything you want, and when you lose focus and let others interrupt your plans, that’s on you. Take personal accountability and go from there.
- CONNECT WITH YOUR PURPOSE: One often says that, “People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals – that is, goals that do not inspire them.” Do your goals inspire you? If not, it’s easy to lose your focus. When you connect your goals to your ultimate purpose in life, you’ll get crystal clear on what you want to accomplish. You’ll turn your “shoulds” into “musts” and discover how to stay on track with enthusiasm.
3. DON’T LET SELF-TALK DERAIL YOU: We all have that little voice that says things like, “Just 10 more minutes of sleep.” Successful people know how to ignore this voice and stay on track. Eliminate this type of negative-self talk and instead use rituals like incantations to get in the right mindset. Incantations go a step beyond affirmations – instead of just saying the words, you embody them. It provides a powerful feeling of certainty in staying on track with your goals
- CREATE EMPOWERING HABITS: There are many empowering habits that can help you stay on track. Meditation is proven to help improve focus, promote productivity and reduce stress – all essential elements of reaching your goals. Many successful people use goal visualization to create a specific, detailed vision of their lives that can actually help it come true. Priming, the exercise Tony uses in his own morning routine, combines elements of both these practices, plus gratitude and more.
- USE THE POWER OF PROXIMITY: When everyone around you is laser-focused on achievement, staying on track with your goals doesn’t seem so hard. Surround yourself with ambitious people who will raise you up with them instead of holding you back. Find a mentor, join an online networking group or sign up for Results Coaching and start leveraging the power of proximity.
- LEARN HOW TO SAY “NO”: Are you letting other people’s goals throw you off track? Maybe you started a new relationship and you’re working toward their goals instead of your own. Maybe you’re living up to the dreams of your family instead of finding your own happiness. Perhaps you just have too many day-to-day demands from family, friends and work. Get on track by learning to say “no” and prioritizing yourself instead.
- MAKE A PLAN: You can’t know how to stay on track if you don’t know where the track is. Use a system like Tony’s Rapid Planning Method (RPM) to align your daily actions with your purpose, then set goals that will help you get there. The key to success is to break down your overall dream into achievable, measurable SMART goals and then track your progress so you can hold yourself accountable – and celebrate your success when you reach a milestone.
- TAKE ACTION EVERY DAY: Ultimately, rewards come in action, not in discussion. The time to take massive determined action is now. Make sure you do something every day that helps you stay on track. Use your N.E.T. time (No Extra Time) to listen to educational podcasts or skip Netflix and check something off your to-do list instead. There are time management apps that can help you focus, chunk your time and control your emotions so you can get more done.
- FEED YOUR MIND THE RIGHT FUEL: Just as you need to be careful about who you surround yourself with, you also need to feed your mind the right fuel. Tony often quotes his own mentor, Jim Rohn, when he says, “Stand guard at the door of your mind.” Keep your passion and enthusiasm going by reading and listening to content that inspires you to stay on track.
If you know you are on the right track, if you have this inner knowledge, then nobody can turn you off, no matter what they say.
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Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspotcom .
