Make Your Move

Whenever I’m near the ocean, I’m captivated by the tide rolling in … rolling out … rolling in … rolling out … each time, either increasing the amount of sand it’s covering or retrenching its coverage. In both cases, there’s movement.  

Movement is the topic of our last blog “mini-series.” As we followed the path we call Transform Your Horizons, we’ve shared thoughts about the importance of declaring a vision and finding a community that will support that vision. And while those two aspects are critical in any transformation, the ultimate outcome only happens when there is movement.  

The popular mantra of “plan the work, then work the plan” comes to mind. Planning the work happens when a supportive community is inspired to see a vision come to life. Yet, it’s the level of commitment to the plan that will drive actions required to have the vision come to life.   

For many of us, this time of year is focused on closing out 2023 objectives; for some, it’s also defining success for 2024. If you fall in the latter category, here are some questions to ask yourself: 

1. “Am I inspired by the 2024 view?” 
2. “If not, what else do I need to be inspired?” Share those thoughts with others involved. If you can’t impact the vision enough to be inspired, then you will likely struggle by remaining in the community.  
3. “If yes, how committed am I to the plan to achieve the vision of 2024?” If not committed enough, determine what’s getting in the way: Is it an issue with the plan itself? Is it an inability on your part to execute?  
4. If commitment is high, the next step is taking action. Action results in progress. Progress is movement.  

But remember — movement doesn’t require huge actions only. As the French philosopher and scientist Blaise Pascal said, “The least movement is of importance to all nature. The entire ocean is affected by a pebble.”  

This Week: If there something you’ve been pondering … thinking about … ruminating on … and that’s all you’ve done: Ask yourself what’s holding you back from moving forward? Are you inspired enough about the topic? How committed are you really to the topic and its desired outcome? Do you know what actions need to be taken? If the answer to any of these is “no” or “not enough”, enlist others who can help you move forward.