subject: How To "not Sweat The Small Stuff" And Focus On The Big Picture [print this page] Often time's the most disheartening part of striving for a goal are the small defeats. The "no" you get when you ask for a sale, the off month you have where cash is tight, or any other things that can go wrong in any kind of goal or venture.
In order to succeed however, you need to learn how to get over these small defeats quickly. We've all heard the expression "don't sweat the small stuff" - But that's often an axiom that's easier said than done.
How do you not sweat the small stuff? How do you focus on the big picture? How do you stay motivated in face of adversity?
==> The Magic Question to Help Remain Focused
This is the question that real estate billionaire Donald Trump asks himself every time he faces a setback:
"Is this a catastrophe, or just a bump in the road?"
When you put it in this perspective, you'll quickly find that most of your setbacks really are just temporary hitches.
For example, let's say you lose a big client. It can be very tempting to beat yourself up or blame your peers. If you do, you'll probably feel less motivated and less productive as a result.
On the other hand, if you ask yourself that question, you'll probably find that it wasn't truly a catastrophe. Yes, you'll have to work extra hard for a couple months - But there are plenty of other clients out there.
In the grand scheme of things, it's just a bump in the road.
==> Keep Your Eyes on the 5 to 10 Year Goal
Instead of keeping your eyes on the day to day successes and failures, it often helps to keep your eye on the 5 to 10 year goal instead.
If you have a clear sense of what you want, it's much harder for day to day occurrences to shake your sense of motivation.
If you don't know where you want to be in 5 to 10 years yet, spend some time thinking about it.
Journal and meditate. Read books by role models, people who're living the kind of lifestyle you want to live. Figure out exactly what you want your life to look like in the future and make it happen.
==> Keep Your Eyes on the Big Picture by Sharing Your Goals
Having just one or two people who you can share your long term goals with can really help you keep your eyes on the big picture.
It's hard to keep your eyes on the ball by yourself when so many things are going on. That's why having people around you who know you and know what's important to you can help.
Whenever you get too caught up in the little, they can give you a light reality check to help bring you back to what really matters.
Learning to not sweat the small stuff and focus instead on your long term goals will help you reduce stress and stay motivated to work towards you really care about.
