What you must know if you ever want to accomplish anything

When we are trying to accomplish anything, reach a destination, complete a project or do just about anything else, the majority of people ideally want things to come together smoothly and quickly.  They want to see immediate return on their efforts and take huge strides forward and reach their goals expeditiously.

Why take baby steps when you can take quantum leaps? And, who on earth would want to take the long way when it is exactly what it claims to be…long?

The alternaview

The alternaview is that there is nothing wrong with desiring to move quickly and taking quantum leaps, but we also need just as strong of an appreciation and desire for taking the long way and completing things one baby step at a time.  We need to realize there are benefits and be very happy and content with taking the long way.

Why?

Because many things really are meant to take some time.  They are meant to unfold on their own timeline and we are meant to learn things about ourselves and what we are trying to do along the way.  The problem is that it is easy to fall into the trap of creating false deadlines and being disappointed when you don’t satisfy them.  We can misunderstand our extremely slow progress or feel we have hit a plateau and then decide to give up on what we were trying to do.  We may even convince ourselves that we gave it our all, but it just wasn’t meant to be simply because things didn’t seem to be falling into place the way we thought they should and as quickly as we desired.

And, this is the exact reason why we have to be comfortable and take pleasure in going the long way because otherwise we can prematurely abandon and give up on some good things we were meant to experience.  We have not allowed things to unfold and essentially have walked only halfway up the mountain (and how much cooler is the top?  You never hear people talking about the view from the middle of the mountain).

When you have found a way to enjoy taking the long way, you are more motivated to continue trying longer and giving everything you have.  You have not tainted your success with disappointment or frustration because things have not come together as quickly as you desired. You are continually motivated by even the smallest sign of progress and the way you build positive momentum is by appreciating each step you successfully take in the right direction.

Does this mean you should never abandon a goal or revaluate the direction you are going?  Of course not, you should always make certain you are doing things that are aligned with your desires and ultimately what you think you should be doing.  However, the fact that something is taking too long or that you are tired of only taking baby steps should never serve as the sole rationale for giving up.

So, if you are in a place where you are questioning something because it is taking too long, or if this thought should ever arise in the future…step back, hold on and continue to devote your effort and energy as you patiently await for things to unfold. Create the positive energy you will need for your ultimate success by acknowledging and giving yourself credit for all that you have done thus far, even the little things.  Have confidence that there is definitely more to come.

How to use this alternaview:

1. Develop and execute your action plan.  Continually review and complete the things on your action plan.  Dedicate the appropriate amount of time and effort to completing each step you have identified.

2. Let go of expectations. Don’t create false deadlines or assume that things have to go a certain way.  Be flexible and allow things to unfold in their own way and in their own time.

3. Continually Remind yourself of the benefits. There are advantages to taking things one baby step at a time and learning along the way.

4. Acknowledge your progress. Acknowledge and appreciate every single thing you have accomplished.  Give yourself credit. This is not the time to be your harshest critic.

5. Decide that you aren’t stopping. Make up your mind that it simply doesn’t matter how long it takes, you are going to continue working at what you want to do.  Decide from the onset that you will never give up on something that is so aligned with your desires and what you feel you should be doing.

6.  Know that it works. Realize that continually taking little baby steps means that eventually you arrive where you want to.  You can and should still desire to take quantum leaps from time to time, but know that you are more than capable of experiencing success by taking things one baby step at a time.

When we successfully take the long way, the irony is that when we look back we realize we would not have changed one single thing about the way we went, even if it took us much longer than expected.  We realize there is a reason for everything and we appreciate all we have learned.  Eventually, we even understand that we didn’t take the long way, but rather we took the only path we could…that is the alternaview.

Do you agree with this alternaview?  Has it worked for you?