Have you ever heard of writers block? Its ‘the condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing.’ Well similar to a writer, we grinders can hit a block. We can have a hard time being able to clearly define and reach our goals. That feeling of being stuck in motion. Everything is moving around you but you don’t see any trajectory. Failure after failure, paycheck to paycheck, same stuff, different day. Nothing seems to be going the way you want. You feel unmotivated, frustrated, hopeless, and bored. Writers normally find inspiration by: establishing a routine, going for a walk, reading inspirational quotes, and trying something new-change of scenery. Here’s a few things that work for grinders:
Be Forceful
There’s nothing more debilitating than feeling unmotivated. Not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, grabbing your phone instead of focusing on the task at hand, taking the easy way out because putting your best foot forward is too much work. These things are blocking you from getting to where you need to be. Force yourself to wake up at 5:30am when your alarm goes off. You know snoozing it only makes you rush and be late for work. Force yourself to not look at your phone while you’re working because it’s a distraction. Force yourself to go workout before or after work. Stop putting off asking that person to be your mentor and force yourself to call them. I know saying force sounds kind of harsh but you can’t continue to be lackadaisical with your dreams- it has done nothing for you I’m preaching to the choir here, but I am definitely being more forceful in my daily life, I grown entirely too comfortable with not being motivated and its caused a series of mediocrity. Time is of the essence. When the urge to be mediocre arouses, stop it in its tracks and force yourself to be great.
Be Intentional
It’s very easy to not feel like going to work or hitting the gym. Setting an intention for a task, job, workout, call, or meeting can make an enormous difference. It keeps the end in mind result in mind when the present moment is tough. Think of what you want to get out of your day and how you want to feel. I’ve read somewhere that the future you hope for can be found in your daily routine- the present that you are conducting should look like the future you are working towards. Not just being intentional about your day but about your future can help prevent the block. This correlates primarily to financial ambitions. If saving for a vacation is at the top of mind, it may be easier to say no to going out and spending the money that could be used to toward your trip. Having a reason or intention for everything you do will allow you to prioritize what matters and eliminate the things that don’t.
Make Your Goals Visible
Write them out every morning before you start your day. Set reminders on your phone or alarms. Keep reminding yourself of your goals, daily. For me, I have a vision board that hangs right in front of my bed and I take a moment each morning to look at what I aspire to be. I have also started journaling my goals for the day in the morning and reflecting on my attainment when the day is over. It holds me accountable and keeps me focused. I’ve even noticed that sometimes I forget I wrote a goal down and at the end of the day, I accomplished that goal! If you’re like me and have trouble staying consistent, writing your goals out can help you stay on track. In the movie Focus starring Will Smith, the characters programmed a gambler to bet on the number 55 by making the number visible throughout his day. The gambler chooses that number because he constantly saw the number and was reminded of it during the day. Below is a link to the clip in the movie. Let’s write our vision and make it clear every day!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwS68ixemAQ
C’mon press your way out of this Block!
For Audio: https://anchor.fm/fahren/episodes/The-BlockGrinders-Block-e26cl5
