Fynn
Giving it your all ... and watching your focus while you do
During the birth of my son 12 days ago, I wasn't exactly focused on the details of the process or lost in analysis. I spent the 10 hours it took in one of two places ... either lost in the intensity of the moment, or thinking about the end result of getting that baby out of there and in my arms.
As the night progressed and things got more difficult and painful, my focus gradually slipped from the end result to the current moment, and stayed there. Stuck there actually, in more ways than one. I was putting so much effort into what I was doing physically that I got mentally worn down. It took my coach (midwife) to get my mind out of the "effort hole" and back into the realm of knowing how far I was towards reaching my goal. A few well-timed comments and questions ... my mental block was surpassed, and giving it my all resulted in a son shortly thereafter.
This brings to mind two questions. The first one is what are you focused on? Do you always look at the goal, or do you follow the moment-to-moment details? Both are critical, but getting lost in either one can mean you get stalled, or wander off course. If you tend to get mired in the details, how do you regain the vision of your goal? I had a client recently who was struggling with that issue, and she simply agreed to put up some post-it notes around the house reminding her of the end result she was working towards. A few other ideas ...
- Find a 'buddy' who shares your goal, and keep in touch regularly about your progress
- Change your screen saver to spell out your goal
- Take a class or join a group that will keep you on your toes
- Find a coach :)
The second question is simply this ... when was the last time you truly "gave it your all"? I mean throwing every resource you have available to you at the same goal, and with every bit of intensity you can muster up. Giving birth to Fynn certainly fits that description for me, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Pushing yourself to your limits usually shows you that your limits actually aren't anywhere near what you imagine! Pick a goal, even a small one, and give it everything until it's done. You'll end up with incomparable results, and learn a lot about yourself in the process.