It’s forward, not back. Windshield, not rear-view mirror. Progress, not procrastination.
The only way to get where you want to go is to move in the direction of that goal, pure and simple. See it, believe it, take steps toward it. Every time you catch yourself glancing behind you, or focusing for too long on the past, you trick your mind into believing yesterday was better than today. It’s simply not true. If it were, why would you live for today or tomorrow?
It’s OK to reminisce, what was behind you most likely helped build the foundation of where you are now. Lessons learned, good times, great memories… but if you wallow in the past, if you make it a focus of your current days, you will in turn torment your nights. There may have been mistakes made, so the focus should be to learn from those mistakes. Maybe change your strategy in pursuit of what you want because of them, but do the best not to repeat them. It doesn’t mean a part of the past won’t stay with you. It doesn’t mean you can’t hold on to fond memories, but it does mean you also need to at least move forward, merge those great memories into part of the new history you are creating.
New opportunities, new directions, new days. A new day, every day. As philosopher Jim Rohn was fond of saying, the goal of this human experience is progress. Becoming a better you today than you were yesterday. Do that and the world will follow in your footsteps. The compound effect of that progress can literally move mountains. But to keep going back means you never get up that mountain, much less move it. You will keep slipping, unable to gain a strong foothold and then perhaps, worst of all, live the human nightmare – which is to give up.
Never give up.
Consider this passage from Simon Sinek’s book, Start With Why:
Ever notice the patch of the American flag on a soldier’s right arm? It’s backward. There was no mistake made, it’s like that on purpose. A flag flying on a staff, as an army was rushing into battle, would appear backward if viewed from the right side. To put it the other way around on the right shoulder would appear as if the soldier were in retreat.
No retreat. Or to steal a line from a classic Bruce Springsteen song: no retreat baby, no surrender.
Until next time, thanks for taking the time.
Mark
Mark Brodinsky, Author, Blogger, Speaker, Emmy Winner, USHEALTH Advisors, (http://www.ushagent.com/markbrodinsky)
Author: The #1 Amazon Best-Seller: It Takes 2. Surviving Breast Cancer: A Spouse’s Story
(http://www.spouses-story.com/)
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