Do you feel like you’re an Israelite in the wilderness, walking in circles for what feels like 40 years? Do you feel like you’re going nowhere or maybe not getting the opportunities you’d like? Do you feel like you’re fighting the same battles and not winning? Well, if you answered yes to any of the above, this post might be just right up your alley.

 

Often we aren’t challenged with the bigger, nicer looking opportunities because we aren’t equipped. More times than not, somehow, the bigger opportunities come when we conquer the smaller ones. It’s a graduation process that life lines up just that way.

 

Often we feel like we’re failing but more likely than not, it’s because we’re failing to see opportunities in our failures; the everyday things that seem little or seem to have little impact or repercussion. We often tackle tasks that seem to drain our soul in the same way, every time but no change in response to those tasks will mean no change in output. We thus, relentlessly fail and end up in what may feel like an infinite loop.

 

It’s time to grab those pesky little problem things and own them. But how?

 

 

1. Take a Bird’s Eye View

Take a step back. Look at your day; your yesterday firstly and then your today. Do some recon on yourself. Gather intel on yourself. What are the things that you know you do well; the things you’ve conquered and feel accomplished after having done them? What are the things at which you suck; the things at which you know you should be doing better? What are the things that you’d like to see changed in your day? Are there things that you’re doing that you don’t necessarily need to do? Once you’ve thought about this…..

 

2. Make a list / Make many lists

Section out the things that you would’ve reviewed and rediscovered while taking your bird’s eye view. Ensure that you have clear lists of the things that are certain wins, those that are somewhere in between and those that are definitely debacles. These lists will help bring some clarity and refute the idea that winning is impossible.

 

3. Look for opportunities

Having made your lists, realize that there are things that you’re good at and there are techniques embedded in those strengths that can be applied elsewhere. Realize that every item on each of the non-winning lists is an opportunity for growth; not a failure. Reverse the thought pattern that propagates that idea. See in each of those failures an opportunity for improvement. Once you’ve done that….

 

4. Take the opportunities

Pick one failure and determine a different approach from the one that you’ve been consistently using and consistently seeing negative results. Devise a plan or multiple plans. If you find that you’re stuck and you’re unable to devise plans then consider using our handy pal, google or seek out a friend, colleague, associate or mentor who might’ve leveled up and ask advice. Sometimes we just don’t know because we just don’t ask. Once you have that plan, take that opportunity to win and grow or simply learn another way of how not to do it. Some things you may win at on the first attempt of a different approach, some things may take some tweaking and practicing so…

 

 

5. Iterate

If you got it done at the first redirection, then that’s one more thing you’ve conquered. If not, you’ve learnt something new: how not to. Either way, you gained something. Once you’re up to trying, keep at it. Work toward winning consistently. Once you feel like you’ve accomplished, one by one, the things you’ve hoped, make the wins bigger – devise ways to do better at the things you’re already dominating.

 

Before you know it, you’d realized that you used your days as investment into your life and you’ve changed your position and trajectory.

 

You’ll win at life, one small step at a time. Don’t despise the failures because they’re just disguised opportunities there to challenge you into a win that you didn’t know you had in you. One task at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. Do this repeatedly and you’ll see, those days will add up – you’ll win at life!

Go get ‘em!