How I Stopped Spinning My Wheels Going Nowhere
BlogMentorshipProductivity
There was a time in my life where I was really, really busy but I wasn’t making money and I was spread really thin. I had to stop spinning my wheels going nowhere. It was like being hungry, alone and tired all at the time. Something had to give. Finally something did.
My thinking.
I’d love to help you free up your hard drive of beliefs and gain some margin. Meaning more time. It’s kind of hard to write a strategy and plan if you’re running on a treadmill.
I had a fear and misbelief that if I got off the treadmill that my life would fall apart. I thought that revenue would stop life would fall apart. That’s where I was wrong. Again, I had given the measuring stick to culture and society and stopped trusting God and those that spoke truth into my life. My version of “what’s best” had me fried at 35 yrs old with an amazing wife, two young kids and a career that was gasping for air. I was running on empty driving at 150 mph and no road map.
It wasn’t until I let go and asked the tough questions that it began to change and simplify. There are three things that truly matter
– My relationship with God: Depending on where you stand on this issue it can be frustrating not doing life with a firm foundation. I liken it to building an amazing house on sand. Or, fast food: Tastes great but no nurturance. It doesn’t last. Our decisions and actions are based on what we believe. If you believe you are a victim and won’t ever amount to anything your actions will show it. If you believe you have a dream but just think about it with no actual doing then you will arrive on the sidelines of life watching the game rather than being in it. My mornings are spent reaffirming my identity, my gratitude and my action plan of faith in action.
– My relationships with others: When we run life alone we are following ourselves. Pride and ego is a crazy disease that keeps a person as an island. In a previous post I spoke of the importance of mentors. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far go together”- Bob Shank. Those that have gone before me have helped me hit the bulls eye sooner, made revenue quicker and easier while saving me a grip of time.
– My willingness to let go and realize you’ll never have it together: Perfection isn’t reality. Progress is healthy. It seams that man has resorted to two main preoccupations. Gaining too much weight and too much email. There’s more to life than “getting through”. We are meant to thrive, live and get better with age.
These are just a few ideas I hope help with structuring your approach. Something I catch myself through the day slipping into self and getting off track. I use my Evernote account to log truths and write these to keep me accountable. An awesome gift is to impact others by sending a letter if encouragement and or hope through the day when you’re down.
What beliefs or lies have kept you from grasping progress towards your dream life?
I’d love to hear a comment below and please feel encouraged to repost this and send to a friend.
Have a great week!
Recent comments
FigmentFan 9 years ago
The biggest belief/lie that keeps me from grasping progress towards my dream life is that money buys happiness. A lot of my hobbies are considered expensive hobbies and that’s okay. I’m still learning to appreciate what I have and not focus on what I can’t afford.
noahfineart 9 years ago
So glad you’re here. Thanks for the comment!
Doni Keene 9 years ago
couldn’t agree more Noah. For me, the need for approval in everything and acceptance by all thru perfectionism was nothing more than my selfishness at requiring “all to praise me” so I could pat myself on the back. In reality, serving God and seeking to worship him “thru” my work created a sense of peace, release of pressure and acceptance of living each day by faith. Non-reliance on my abilities, and a journey that is not perfect, often hazardous and painful, empty pockets from unappreciative clients…but a tranquil frame of mind, secure in the knowledge that I am not in control. I am not the master artist, but rather the man in the audience pointing others to hear the symphony from the One true artist.
noah fine art 9 years ago
Doni, love this. Thanks for the comment and being here.
Scott Hall 9 years ago
Thanks for sharing these key points Noah. Sometimes I feel like a train that’s going round and round and always ends up in the same place! I’m one of those people that sits on the sidelines, wondering if God will change my life. I run through the whole gamut of, “I’m not good enough, I don’t have what it takes, I’m not like so and so.” Oh there’s more but you get the picture. It stems from having low-self esteem which is something I’ve struggled with all my life. I admit to comparing myself to others which is a very dangerous thing to do because it keeps me stuck in that place of, “I don’t have what it takes to become what God wants me to be. I’ll never be like Glen Keane, Eric Goldberg, Ollie Johnston…” It takes an awful lot of discipline for me to combat those thoughts because the battle rages in the mind. Matter of fact, the battlefield is in my mind. Sometimes I feel like I’m just “getting through each day” or “existing.” I’m grateful and feel encouraged by your blogs, especially this one. Thanks for being a “light” Noah.
noahfineart 9 years ago
Scott, thanks for the sharing. Keep it rolling.
chris lann 9 years ago
its funny how things sort of fall in your lap. in the past year I have began devoting my life to the lord and trying to change my ways. I have never been a drinker and I have never been into smoking or any other habit forming drugs. but I used profanity quite often and just all around justified myself in having the wrong attitude in life by considering myself not a sheep almost putting myself on a pedastol but thinking I wasn’t if that makes any sense. I wanted to be different but I still talked to god and prayed. but one day I realized that I needed to set a better example for my son and wife. so I began curving my language and seeing myself more as a sheep in the lords flock not as a sheep in a living mans flock.
art is my passion and I to was seeking perfection and I was guilty that if I didn’t take on every job even if it meant not making any money that eventually people would quit calling . finally I just had to ask the lord help me decide on what was the best way to handle what I was going through. what I came up with is the lord will provide if you are trying and the lord will give you rest if you need it. I must admit I still struggle with things from time to time but I am man and I am weak I just have to ask the lord to please forgive me and put it in his hands. but through all this I have so much more peace in my life. my relationship with my wife and son are far better because of all this and my foundation is stronger as well
noahfineart 9 years ago
Chris,
The tongue is the most powerful muscle in the body! I totally understand the self control issue and challenge. The kids are the best motivator. Appreciate the words.
Rigoberto 7 years ago
Howdy! Thiss article could not be written any better! Going through this
article reminds me of my previous roommate! He consttantly keplt talking about
this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will hhave
a grewat read. Thank you for sharing!