Did You Set Your Bar So Low, That You Only Have To Crawl Over It?

As a student, I had no love for track and field day. When I heard the announcement for track and field day, internally, my shoulders slumped, and a big groan echoed in my head because running outside in the heat wasn't how I wanted to spend my time. I was more scholarly and would rather spend a whole day in the library. With track and field, I wasn't particularly skilled at any activities, so it felt like a mandatory punishment. Nevertheless, it had to be done like doing my homework or ensuring my room was clean on Sundays. So with a longsuffering sigh, I dutifully dragged myself to the field as an unwilling participant.

Everyone has an activity that doesn't quite measure up to the rest, and for me, it was the high jump. The towering bar seemed so invincible that I figured it would be best not to try and hope no one noticed - but it was hard to hide! Everywhere I turned, there was that intimidating structure staring me down. It seemed like the higher they set it, the more determined they were to break my self-confidence. While I wasn't overly successful at clearing the bar, I now can look back on those experiences with fondness.

When faced with life's challenges, it's easy to become overwhelmed and distracted by our thoughts. We start imagining the worst scenarios and try anything to avoid them; even if we know, in the end, we will postpone them. Whether it's Track and Field day with those dreaded high jump bars, trying to deal with a job you don't like or a relationship that has gone south, these things can invoke fear and anxiety within us. It is natural to be afraid of the difficult tasks ahead, but knowing that every challenge is there to help us grow as individuals will give us strength when we feel weakest.

So, you might be wondering, what is the point I am trying to make?

Because of fear, and the belief that we do not have the skills or ability to overcome a challenge, we sometimes sabotage ourselves from the start.

Essentially, we set the bar of expectations of our life so low that minimal effort is required to overcome it---we can essentially crawl over the bar.?

In this situation, we put forth minimal effort in trying to exceed our expectations for fear that it may not work out, so we set the bar low so that we won't have to face disappointment. But we fail to realize that by crawling over this bar, instead of leaping, we are only fooling ourselves and holding back from limitless potential. Instead of embracing challenges like an old friend, invite them into your life to learn something new and expand your world. Once you start to see something challenging as an opportunity to grow, it can drastically change your life and open up possibilities you never thought imaginable.

Please take the time to identify your strengths and weaknesses and use them to fuel your ambitions. Let your determination guide what you can achieve, and don't let the fear of failure stand in your way. You will find that striving for goals greater than those set by yourself or others can lead to an incredible sense of accomplishment.

I made the bold and daring decision to raise the bar of expectations continually. Despite our best attempts and plans, life doesn't always work out how we desire. Yet, accepting and learning from these moments allows us to keep advancing. What truly keeps us motivated is the resilience of seeing dreams become a reality. As I reflect on all the restarts required when things didn't go as planned, feeling inspired was my greatest ally! This motivation encourages me to press on no matter how far away my goals seem or what obstacles present themselves.

So, here are three realities we should come to terms with:

1.Things that were once obstacles for you might no longer be if you stick to them.

Looking back, I can see how far I've come. Just a few years ago, public speaking made me tremble with fear, and anxiety overwhelmed me. My sweet tones were lost in the fear that coursed through my veins, and people often had to strain to hear what I was saying. The contrast between then and now is remarkable. Now, I can stand confidently on a stage or talk passionately with another person easily and gracefully. This was challenging work, though; I had to invest lots of time into honing my public speaking skills and gaining practice. Along the way, I've learned that although it may not feel like it at times, being comfortable and confident while speaking publicly is truly within our reach if we are willing to take the steps needed to get there!

2.?You need to write your goals down and review them periodically.

It can be daunting to commit to writing down our goals. We often don't have the confidence in ourselves or the courage to set expectations for what we want and hope for our future. Writing down our ambitions is a tangible way of raising our expectations and forcing us to adhere to and strive towards those measures. What's great about creating goals is that they depend on us, not the cooperation of others. Writing down clear, measurable, and specific objectives can help you achieve these ambitions. Being able to refer back to your list gives you a better insight into how far you have come, and how much closer you are to succeeding, and providing inspiration and motivation from now on.

3.?Some of the people closest to you might be your biggest discouragement.

When pursuing a goal, we often feel that our closest friends and family should be our biggest supporters, yet sometimes they are our main source of discouragement. This can feel heartbreaking when it happens, but it's important to remember that not every relationship is built for accountability and progress; you don't have to share your goals with them if you don't want to. Some people may not encourage us because they lack the same abilities, so they feel like it isn't possible for us to achieve certain things. There may still be one more uncomfortable reality--that deep down, those closest to us don't want to see us succeed. Although this can be difficult to accept, understanding that this might phrase their behavior helps us stay determined in pursuing our goals despite possible discouragement from those around us.

Low expectations can sometimes be a means of self-preservation. No one likes to be disappointed, so by expecting little from life; we protect ourselves from feeling let down.

Understandably, we would want to do this, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's right. Not raising our standards in various areas of life, whether related to relationships, career goals, or even basic day-to-day activities, we can often find ourselves stuck in a difficult rut. Suppose you're looking for an opportunity to reflect on why you might have set low expectations in certain areas of your life. Why not use this as an opportunity to?book a complimentary call with me??Together, we can explore what you might need to be doing differently to raise the bar and start achieving more.