As I look back over my life, I realize that for most of it, I was living according to what I could do and sheer willpower. 2016 flew by like a whirlwind and I quickly realized I had to do things differently.
I took 4 simple steps that were critical to my growth and maturity as a woman, wife, mother, and as an entrepreneur. Even though these steps were simple, they were not always easy. I had to make a mental shift to be consistent and persistent as I kept my goals in mind.
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PRAY – It’s that simple. I had to pray. I had so many things happen to me. I could only get through them with prayer. They weren’t bad things, but definitely different from my norm. Once I began to pray first, the stress level decreased tremendously and I was able to see clearly the tasks before me.
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FOCUS – Because of prayer, I was then able to focus on the tasks at hand. My nonprofit, Forever Free Books, grew and my new business, The Real Wife Movement™, was born. I had to get focused and not side tracked by what others thought or what other people were doing. I had to focus on the steps I had to take to complete the things I had before me. Focusing on a holistic me, helped me to say “NO” to things that were distractions and to say “YES” to things that would turn my life in the right direction to begin my journey to walking in my purpose.
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GRIND – What do I mean by grind? I mean putting in the hard work and time needed to grow. Plain and simple! I began attending educational events that helped me gain the information I needed to grow as an entrepreneur. I also began spending money on classes to help me become a better me. Not only that, I connected with like-minded, purpose driven people and asked someone to mentor me. That was the best decision I ever made. She pushes me beyond my mental capacity which causes me to grind. In my grind I now have results!
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REPEAT – I know you are probably thinking, “Well, that’s dumb.” On the contrary, repeating these steps is crucial for continual growth. If I stop at grind, I can go no further than that place. Repeating these steps causes us to go to the next level, the next business deal, the next phase in our life. Growth is a continual process.
If we get stuck in only one phase of this process, there will be no change. Imagine being stuck in either the prayer phase, the focus phase or the grind phase. This creates an imbalance in the flow of progress and growth.
So, as we face the last 2 months of 2016, what steps are you taking towards staying successful?
Great post Tanya! And oh, so true. I have definitely seen the growth in you and know that God has so much more planned for you. Keep shining!
Awwww…. thank you for being that awesome mentor! I love you for life! You made see my potential to be great and push me towards it!
This is great and I think that prayer helps in changing so much. After praying certain things will fall into place, or you might head in another direction, but it seems that prayer always leads you the right way.
Sheri, it is also what keeps me grounded when things get crazy too or when I want to quit.
Great post! Any plan that starts with prayer is an excellent one. May blessings abound in your life! <3
Yes, ma’am. This is the only way I can function.
I love this! All of this is true! Amazing words and timely. Thank you.Thank you. I do need to get me a mentor and keep putting it off, I’m now going to focus on finding me one. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks sis! I had to do some shifting and bring it back in to finish the year strong!
Prayer is always the key and I will put meditation on my list!!
http://www.distinguisheddiva.com/2016/10/travel-diary-navigating-amsterdam-like.html
Absolutely! WE have to start that way….
I’m just looking forward to 2017, but of course, trying to end 2016 on as strong a note as I started it 🙂 God’s got us, y’all.
Yes, sometimes we focus on the start but not the finish. We got 2 months to be great!!!
YAAAAAS! I need to put this on the fridge… and the mirror… and in the car. I definitely need to do all 4 steps, especially “repeat”! Great insight.
Yes ma’am!!! I am creating a graphic to keep me focused to the finish line of 12/31/16.
Pray, focus, grind, repeat! I approve this message! Yes!
LOL!!!!! YES!!!!
I needed this motivation. One thing that I need to do is to write things down, from appointments to ideas. This will help me to become more organized and focused. Great post.
I have a journal and a planner I take everywhere. It helps me stay organized too. I also document every phone call I have.
I need to work on my focus. I could grind much harder if I had focus. I thin that is going to be my word for 2017.
I’ve enjoyed watching you grow, you’ve come a long way and you aren’t finished yet.
Absolutely Mimi! Yur encouragement and support is priceless.
I need all 4 for success. That focus is my weak point, but I’m getting better!
Yes, mine is too. I work on Focusing daily!
This is so practical it’s scary. How often do we make mountains out of mole hills? In just 4 steps you gather your whoooole life!! Thank you so much for this.
LOL! Girl, these are practical until you get ready to do them consistently. You got this!
These are all steps I think everyone should take, even me. thank you for writing this.
Yes ma’am. We have to be intentional!
I love your tips for success, Tanya! I most especially love that you said to PRAY first!! I strongly believe when we let God be our guide and keep Him center, we will be very successful in life. Whether it’s our marriage, parenting, or business endeavors– with God as the center of our everything, we can do know wrong! Of course, we have to also work at it. So your next three steps are very important, too. I have been working on my focus within the past two months. I recently paid for a course to help me with my creative projects. It has been very helpful. I definitely need to work on my grind. Great tips!!
*no, not “know” LOL! Had to correct myself!
Amen Sis!! I’m so glad this helped you…
If you didn’t write this for ME…YES MA’AM!
Prayer is key to getting all other aspects of your life in order! Prayer is a simple task that is the most powerful one of your day. Prayer takes my mind from a confused place to an environment of solitude. Thank you for sharing these tips!
LOL! Yes, God can speak to us even through a blog! I’m glad He used me to speak to you.