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The Power in Slowing Down

Katie Corbett headshot

By Katie Corbett

 

I received some sage advice from a good friend this week. She said that when you are facing difficult or unusual circumstances, it is a good idea to slow down. The advice comes from military pilots. Often, new pilots want to speed up when there is turbulence to get the experience over with as soon as possible. Experienced pilots know that they need to take it slow Through that situation.

 

This past week, I have been slowing down a bit. I am taking a break from reading through a novel I am writing, and also taking ample time to think about and prioritize relationships in my life.

 

As a result, I am gaining more clarity. I also think I will be more prepared for the work ahead.

 

Have you taken periods of time to slow down in your life? What have been the results? Feel free to leave me a comment with any thoughts.

 

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Work Not According to Your Feelings

Katie Corbett holds the book "One Month to Live"

By Katie Corbett

 

Feelings can be helpful. They can tell us when we are in danger, when we are in love, or when we feel passionate about a business idea. They can also encourage us to procrastinate, form unhealthy habits, or lash out at those we care about. I try not to let my feelings get in the way of my work, and I think this is a key element of my success thus far.

 

When I read, “One Month to Live,” by Chris Shook, I was going through a lot of change. I wanted to improve and become my best self. At that time, it meant experimenting with new hairstyles. Here are some questions to consider as you decide how you are going to act based on your dreams and goals, rather than letting your progress be dictated by your feelings.

 

  • What would you do if your body only had 30 days left?
  • If you don’t act, what will you regret?
  • How could you improve yourself?
  • What has been on your list for a while that you have not taken the time to accomplish?
  • What excuses are you ready to part with?
  • When you look back on this month, what do you want to say you have done?
  • What do you wish you had taken the time to do sooner?
  • What habit would you like to form?
  • What habit would you like to break?
  • What change would you like to see inside yourself?

 

Think about your most compelling answer. Do you want to work out more, lose weight, drink more water? Is there something else you’d like to achieve in the next month? Determine the first step and take that step today.

 

I’d love to learn what you’re hoping to achieve. Let me know in the comments, and share this post with a friend who could use some encouragement to go after their dreams.

 

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Celebrate your Progress

Katie Corbett holds the book "Perfectly Yourself"

By Katie Corbett

I love setting goals. While this means I keep moving forward, I often lose track of what I have accomplished thus far. It turns out, acknowledging and celebrating progress is the key to staying motivated.

In Matthew Kelly’s book, “Perfectly Yourself,” suggestions are given for how to recognize your achievements. Some of the methods I have found helpful are:

Keeping a List of Goals: As I cross each item off my list, and review my list at the end of each day or week, I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment as I track how far I’ve come.
Involve Others: When I set a goal, such as getting a prototype made of the garment project I’m working on, I told a few trusted friends about the project and gave them a call when the prototype was finished. It was fun hearing how excited they were as, together, we celebrated completion of this step in my project.
Rewarding Myself: When I was in high school, I didn’t always like doing my homework. I did, however, like playing the guitar. On days when I was particularly unmotivated to do my homework, I promised myself that I wouldn’t play the guitar until my homework was done. This not only gave me incentive to finish, but also gave me a way to celebrate at the end.
Taking Time to Reflect on Past Achievements: I was recently at a career workshop where we were asked to list the five accomplishments of which we were the most proud. Doing this reminded me that I had created a CD demo of songs I wrote when I was seventeen, and wrote a rough draft of a novel while in college. Remembering these activities gave me a sense of celebration as I looked back at what I had achieved.
Making Celebration a Part of the Plan: When I start a particularly daunting project, I decide in advance how I’m going to celebrate once I’m finished. My Chief Financial Officer and I recently finished the incorporation paperwork for our garment company. To celebrate, we got together and had mimosas. It was fun to acknowledge this achievement, and now we are sufficiently ready to move on to next steps.

Celebrating success is important, and doing so takes forethought and effort. What are some accomplishments you would like to celebrate? How can you put celebration into your plan of action? What can you do periodically to reflect on past achievements?

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