Today's post will take a few moments to read, but it's worth it... In order for you to be prepared for this next season of breakthrough, you have to be willing to switch directions when necessary, to avoid getting stuck in a rut. Unfortunately, a lot of individuals never learn to be flexible. They never embrace the idea of "blending and bending."
What do I mean by that? Well, you have to blend several different techniques and think outside the box once in a while. You also have to be willing to bend, or modify your approach, to reach your desired end. Sometimes, the standards we set for ourselves are so rigid. In some cases, our expectations are unrealistic. We box ourselves in. We don't give ourselves any wiggle room.
We want to realize our dreams overnight, and we're much too hard on ourselves when we don't meet the standards we set. We raise the bar way too high sometimes, and set ourselves up for failure. Now, does this mean you should aim low? Absolutely not! If you read the blog consistently (and I hope you do), you already know how I feel about believing in yourself. But, you have to be balanced in your approach.
For example, don't open a business this week and set a goal for a million dollars in profit, by your six month anniversary! I won't say it's impossible, but I do believe it's implausible. In other words, it could happen, but it's highly unlikely that it will.
Unless God has given you supernatural revelation, you don't want to set a goal that is nearly unattainable.
Try giving yourself room to learn and grow. You won't always hit the mark; you'll inevitably make some mistakes. But that's okay. There's no cause for panic. You'll bounce back.
You see, there is no "magic formula" for life-- it's not in pill, a book, a person, or a specific strategy. Whether it's related to your business, relationships, career, educational pursuits, or other goals; success requires a series of adjustments. You won't always arrive at your destination right out the gate. You have to be willing to open yourself up to new possibilities and new approaches.
God wants us to experience abundance in our lives, but we can't make the mistake of measuring everything according to one standard. If we base our perceived successes or failures off of the unrealistic criteria we have established, we'll live in a perpetual state of disillusionment, disappointment, and discouragement.
So, what does this have to do with anything? I'll tell you. While you're striving to reach your goals, there will be moments when you feel like you've hit a brick wall. You'll fall short at times. Things won't work out the way you want them to. You won't get the results you were anticipating.
This is completely normal.
But if you allow the enemy to talk to your mind, you'll end up feeling like a failure; when, in fact, this is not at all the case. You're just going through the natural stages of growth and development. It's not unusual to hit some bumps in the road.
Don't think it's strange when life feels like an uphill journey. You're not alone. We all feel that way from time to time. Often, God allows these challenges to come, in order to nudge us out of our comfort zone. He wants us to view things from a different perspective. He wants us to work harder and be more innovative.
He desires for us to adapt and become more flexible. Why? Because our willingness to change, determines our ability to change our outcome.
If you're running into a few difficulties right now, don't worry. Don't let that get the best of you. Instead, change your approach. Ask God to give you wisdom and understanding of your situation. Pray for fresh ideas and increased creativity.
If you seek the Lord, He will give you a new outlook. He will enhance your understanding. As you continue to pray, blend, and bend, things will begin turning around in your life. Just know, the lessons you are learning right now are invaluable.
One day you'll look back on this time and thank God for your struggles. You'll see how instrumental each challenge has been to your productivity. Best of all, if you don't give up, you'll live to see the vision God gave you, come to fruition!
Hold your head up today and know, your turn is coming.
Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
