Review and Refocus to Better Reach Your Goals.

Welcome back pilgrims, This is Review part deux. Last week we discussed the importance of review. This week I want us to take a second look at our goals (get it re-view?). The purpose of this exercise, not only do we want to look back at what we've done, what we've been productive about, we should also take a moment to reorient ourselves based on where we are right now. I am now in a completely different space than I was when this challenge started—literally. I am a new hemisphere, I've started a new job, I’m getting settled again in America...it’s been a lot. Since starting this challenge six weeks ago, I’ve gained some clarity. I couldn’t have planned for the opportunities that have risen, but it’s pretty kismet, that I already had this week scheduled for reflection and review. Lord knows I need it. I've taken the time last week and this week to incorporate the new developments into my routine. At the beginning of the challenge, I asked you to make sure that the goals you set aligned with your purpose. To confirm that the goals you are setting are your own and aren’t the result of pressure from other people. You can be stubborn with the vision, but flexible with the plan. During week 5, we revisited the areas of our journey to reinforce the lessons and also to complete any parts of the journey that needed more attention. Week 1: First things first, you need to make your goals SMART. Week 2: The Importance of PERSPECTIVE when pursuing your (SMART) goals. Week 3: How establishing SCOPE can rescue your goal setting. Week 4: How self-EXAMINATION can help you reach your goals. Week 5: Review and Refocus honing our objectives. This week's review is more 're-view' (as in look again). There so much more to be gained when you take a second look. Have you ever seen one of those optical illusions where at first glance, you see one thing but the longer you look at it, you begin to notice other images in the picture? I want you to look at your situation to see if anything emerges from your circumstances that you may not have noticed at first glance. "There are two sides to every coin, but the value of the coin remains the same. Whether it’s heads or tails, it’s up to you to decide how you will spend it." Don't kick yourself too badly if you didn’t notice the other things right away. As I’ve stated before, our perspectives shape how we see the world. The great thing about perspective is that it can change. We can move ourselves to get a better all-around understanding of our situation. I’m sure that you are familiar with the age-old question ‘Is the glass half empty or half full?’. This question has always bothered me. How can you expect me to answer when you’ve given me so little information about the glass? I’ve got some questions of my own. What is the objective, are we filling or emptying this glass? What was the previous state of the glass; was it ever full? Sooo many questions! Then as I got older, I realized that regardless of people’s perceptions of the glass, an indisputable fact was the glass was half. Half is a state of being. ‘Full’ or ‘empty’ is dependent on the person’s objectives and perspectives. The cup is analogous to situations that we find ourselves in. Our objectives and perspectives will determine how we perceive the situation. If your view of the world is 'bad things will happen', 'you're unlucky', or people are out to get you...your belief will set the tone for every interaction you have, and that is what you will see in every situation. The converse is also true. If you believe that everything is working for your good, if you believe that people are generally good, that too, is what you will experience. There will be things that happen outside of your control, but your outlook will set the tone for your actions and reactions. Your actions will determine what happens next. There are two sides to every coin, but the value of the coin remains the same. Whether it’s heads or tails, it’s up to you to decide how you will spend it. So with that being said, reviewing. We're going to look at some things to focus on. Now if you've ever heard the saying ‘you find what you look you're looking for’? It's because when you go searching for something, you are actively making efforts and actions. So if you are looking for evidence of something you're going to find it. It's also a type of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirm one's prior belief. When we are in a scenario, it's great to shape the way that our brains are looking for things, because if we go into a situation thinking, I'm not good enough or there's going to be a bunch of setbacks that I can't handle, then guess what...you are going to find those things. I hope that you take that to heart if your outlook isn't helping you, but I just wanted that to be said. And the activities and the tasks for this week will be to rewrite or review all of the goals that you set from the beginning. You now have an additional five weeks' worth of experience to support you. I'd hoped that I’d given you knew things to consider and that you now have a different outlook. Alright, this has been a great breakdown. And I hope that you've enjoyed this week's message about reviewing. The next half of the journey is ACTION based. If you aren't already signed up for the pellathepilgrim newsletter be sure to do so now so that you can gain access to the Members Only section where there is bonus material regarding the #2020refocus challenge. Until next time, Pella