You are your own biggest project – make it a successful one, despite the odds stacked against you

How many projects have you undertaken in the last week, month, or year? Quite plenty, I guess. As we tick off completed projects, we often forget that our biggest project is ourselves. Until we get to a point where we master self, our success will always be limited and can never be applied holistically to all areas of our lives. True success requires that we win both on a personal and professional level, and not have one area thrive while the other suffers.

?In this article I share with you five lessons I am still actively learning and applying, that I believe can also benefit you if incorporated into your success journey.

1.????Always put your best foot forward

I have learned that as people we are too self-critical and don’t give enough credit to ourselves. This creates doubt in our minds and limits us in presenting our full potential when opportunities arise. How do I become the best version of myself you wonder? I promise it’s not as complicated as it sounds.

You have a meeting, interview, presentation, or assignment - do whatever it takes to ensure that you are the most prepared person in the room. “Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity". This quote, attributed to Roman philosopher Seneca, reminds us that we create our own luck when we are prepared and take advantage of opportunities presented to us.

Life has taught me that the best version of ourselves may be far from perfection or even prove flawed when measured against other people. It is therefore key that you do not measure yourself against other people’s standards. Depending on where you are, your best might be someone’s mediocrity and that is completely fine. The true measure of 'best' will be known by you after you’ve completed a task and you know in the depth of your soul that you have truly given it your all.?

2.????Make learning your ongoing mission??

One of the best decisions I have made in the past year was pursuing my post-grad studies after 11 years of last setting my foot in the classroom. I came to the realisation that without keeping up with the new developments and latest trends in my industry, I could never be the Communication Strategist I aspire to be. I’m glad I took that giant leap of faith, as my qualifications will continue to serve as a great steppingstone towards my career aspirations.?

I think it is important to note that learning can take place in many forms and should never be limited formal learning which takes place in a classroom. Informal learning can be equally beneficial and can take place in the form of reading a book, enrolling in a short course to acquire or improve a skill, signing up for a leadership summit, or finding an esteemed professional in your industry to mentor you.

Like all forms of learning, informal learning can be additive or transformative. Additive learning refers to the expansion of current knowledge, the improvement of skills and the development of values that expand and strengthen existing knowledge. Transformative learning refers to learning experiences that lead us to challenge our assumptions and to radically change our existing knowledge and approaches (Schugurensky, 2000).

3.????Celebrate every win - no matter how small

I have learned that little wins over time accumulate to one big win. If your goal is to lose 10 kilograms, shedding one kilogram at a time is an important milestone, as it takes you a step closer to your goal. To ensure that I journal my victories, I created a vision board that helps me keep track of my victories and stay focused on the goals I still hope to achieve. Most importantly, it reminds me of how far I’ve come especially when I lack motivation and need a reminder that I have all that it takes to achieve my goals.

4.????It’s you versus you, make sure the right you wins

This year has been the most challenging year for me, as I’ve have had to juggle work, being a full-time post-graduate student, bible scholar, academic tutor and pregnant with my second child. To say it was overwhelming would be an understatement. I don’t know how many times I thought of putting my studies on hold but here I am now, almost at the finish line and I have done considerably well despite the odds stacked against me.?

As a result, I have come to learn that our greatest battle is in the mind – our bodies and actions surrender to our thoughts. So, think great, inspiring thoughts and your life will eventually follow that direction. External circumstances have little power when we are emotionally, mentally, and spiritually fit.?

5.????Nurture yourself from time to time

Lastly, this year I managed to remove myself from a toxic situation that has been draining me. I can never fully express how liberating it is to walk away from things and people that take away from our joy because when we do not feel good about ourselves, many aspects of our lives suffer.

I believe we do not stress how important it is to say no to things that do not serve us, to remove ourselves from toxic environments, and to create boundaries that will protect our peace of mind. So, we constantly need to take time to recharge mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. Most significantly, we should work on building up the courage to let go of the dead weight keeping us stagnant or worse, pulling us back and hindering our progress. The self-serving decisions we sometimes ought to make and the care we should religiously give ourselves will ultimately pay off as it transfers to every area of our lives.

Kindly share one lesson/learning you have mastered that has been beneficial to you in the comment section.

References

Schugurensky, D. (2000). The forms of informal learning: Towards a conceptualization of the field.