So You are Just Going to Give Up? I Don't Think So! Use These 3 "P" Words to Help You Get Back on Track in 2019!

Well we are getting close to the end of the first month in 2019, already! How are you doing with those goals? Better yet, do you have any goals? If you are looking at the calendar and thinking I need to get on the ball, consider these three “P” words to help you get back on track!

Pray—As I have always stated, I believe in the power of prayer. Get up a little earlier in the morning and give thanks. Sometimes, it can appear that everything is going wrong but the truth is you are just focusing on the things that are going wrong and therefore cannot see the things that are going right. This morning, in prayer and meditation, I was reminded of all the good things God has done with Therapeutic Solutions for the past 15 years. I started out focusing on how small the company is and where I felt we should be, then God reminded me of all of the company’s blessings. For over 15 years, we have served people who otherwise may have not received any occupational therapy services, people with developmental disabilities, people with mental health diagnoses and people with low vision. We have afforded opportunities for flexible work schedules and helped people do work that they truly enjoy. In addition to being reminded of your blessings in prayer, you can also hear from God and get divine direction for next steps. Seriously, I have a friend who I would often ask for advice. Sometimes, I would ask, “How did you know how to do that?” She would answer without hesitation, “God told me how to do it.” I would get so frustrated, thinking, she just does not want to tell me! That is, until, I tried it myself. Wow! If you pray with faith, you get wisdom!

Plan---I confessed this week in a class I teach that I am a person that goes with her “gut.” One student responded that people who go with their gut may take more risk in business. Yep! No question, I have taken some risk and if I would have planned better, then the losses associated with the risk would not have been so bad. Planning is essential. There are different ways people can plan. Some people are very systematic and others write big picture plans like me. Regardless of your style, you need to plan and you need to be willing to change the plan as needed if it is not working. One of the things I love most about my office now is the white board. The plans are written every week on the board and I can review them and check progress. If you don’t know where you are going, then how will you know if you have gotten there?  Just as we have plans with the clients we serve, we must also have business plans that guide us towards our company’s goals and overall mission.

Push—Last but not least, push past obstacles. “How exactly do you do that?,” you might be asking. In my experience, the best way to push is to take action. If you feel stuck because there is some type of barrier in your way, you will stay stuck if you only pray and plan without taking action. Come up with solutions for the barriers and then take action. This is the place where accountability often helps. Coaches and consultants can help hold you accountable if needed. Even if your action does not give you the original intended result, you will feel empowered because you are not just laying on your back seeking a belly rub. You can cross off that action step, problem-solve and push again. I remember when I was in labor with my second son and the nurse kept saying, “Push, push, push!” At one point, the pain was so bad that I said in a soft voice, “No, I can’t push anymore. I am done.” My husband, in shock, looked at me and said, “So, you are just going to give up?” I did not like those words and problem-solving kicked in. I asked for someone to please bring in the “monkey bar thingy” so I can position myself better. One nurse laughed as she did not know what I was talking about but another nurse said she knew what I was talking about and brought it right in. Within a few minutes of me repositioning myself on the trapeze type device, my second son was born. What if I would have just given up—to be sure Julius would have still been born but the pain would have lingered and the blessing that comes after the pain would have been delayed.

Don’t delay more than you have to! Pray, Plan and Push in 2019!

Tomeico Faison is a business consultant and certified business coach dedicated to the success of health and human service entrepreneurs! www.faisonconsulting.com for FREE resources and FREE 20 minute consultation with Tomeico Faison!