There is one mistake that might be dousing the flames of your dreams.

It will distract you.

It will discourage you.

It can make you want to give up - even if you are making great progress.

What is this mistake?

Focusing on where you fell short rather than how far you've come.

It may sound counter-intuitive because I always recommend that you review the previous week before planning the next one. One of the steps in that process is looking for what didn't work or was left undone.

The difference is your focus.

Are you reviewing where you fell short as a part of your planning process or are you dwelling there?

Focusing on your gaps will leave you discouraged and without the motivation needed to continue moving forward.

What should we do instead?

We need to identify gaps without dwelling on them.

One of the tools I use with my clients is a "Finding the Gaps" Assessment. Working through this step clearly identifies areas of focus for goal setting.

But, we don't stay there. The "gaps" are a starting point - not our focus.

If you can't seem to get past what's missing, whether it's what has been left undone or what is still left to do, begin and end your week looking at your wins.

Where have you made progress? What is going well?

Drawing a blank?

Think back to a year ago... what progress have you achieved in the last year that your past self would thank you for?

Start by writing down a single win, and actually write it down. As you get into a habit of recognizing your wins you can increase your list to 3-5 per week.

Allow yourself to celebrate your progress - no matter how small. Then continue working toward your goals.

Y'all have a great week!

Renee'