I often talk to people I know who have decided their best is behind them—especially those over 60. The sad part is, because they believe that, it is becoming their reality. What about you? Do you want a bigger future than your past?
I am a regular listener to business strategy coach Dan Sullivan. His podcasts stimulate my thinking. He has this saying: “Is your future bigger than your past?” I love this question. Today, I hope to sell you on the idea! If you take on this concept and own it, it opens the door of your life for bigger and better. It expands our thinking. It keeps the creative juices flowing.
What do You Want Your Future to Look Like?
For me, this idea makes me evaluate key areas of my life, my health, who I spend time with, how I spend my time, and what I want my future to look like. I want a thriving, passionate marriage. I want to continue to be healthy. I want to stay up to date with my clothes—not spend a ton of money but, to pay attention to how I look each day. I want to have a tidy home. I want to continue to grow in my Christian faith. I want to continue to have a healthy relationship with my adult children, including listening to them and encouraging them, but I want to also share want to be able to share the fun and new and different things I’m doing and learning in my life. I’m just throwing out ideas here to help trigger your thinking. That’s what I look for in podcasts; idea’s that grow my thinking. How about you? Could you think about the direction of your life from the perspective of having a future that is bigger that your past.
Habits
With that in mind, let’s address habits. Not the most glamorous idea, but we all have them. Some good, some not so good. Our habits come from what we think is important. I am a person who keeps a running to do list. I have had to do this because when I trust my memory and I don’t check my list, I get in trouble. For example, I get in my head a certain time, I don’t double check my list and I end up scrambling. I’m doing strength training a couple of times a week and the times vary. So, I have to not only have a to do list, I must check my to do list. That may seem like a little thing, but it causes havoc in my life and it’s not fair to other people when I get it wrong. I hope you have a few friends with whom you lose track of time. Once you get together and start talking to each other hours can go by. That’s all fine and good unless you are supposed to meet someone and you forget because you were having such a good time with your friend. Now you’ve become a rude and inconsiderate person because you stayed too long talking to your friend. Well, the solution that changed this bad habit, is the minute I sit down with this friend I set my alarm on my phone and when the alarm goes off I must get up and say my goodbye to my friend. I created a new habit. It’s a simple thing but it has made my life so much better! These are just a couple of simple ones, but I believe we are the combination of our choices, decisions and habits, and our life is a reflection of these decisions!
How about you? When you look at your life are there some areas in your life where you need to create better habits.
Health
I’m more convinced than I ever have been that health is important. All the other things in life, our relationships, all the stuff, the travel, and experiences—none of that matters when health is the issue. There are small habits we can change to prioritize our health. A few months ago, I was visiting my daughter in Scottsdale. She offices out of her apartment and she shared with me she wanted to start walking first thing in the morning, before she starts work. I said I would start with her. We went on several different morning walks, we walked around her neighborhood, we explored different walking paths at some surrounding parks. It was so beautiful that I came home and decided to add walking to my morning routine. What a game changer. I have a solid morning routine for my Christian faith that I share all the time. But I could be in my office (my son’s old bedroom) creating podcast ideas or promoting my podcast and not come out until noon. But now I have been incorporating walking every morning. I had been dealing with a tight hip from sitting so much, but walking has solved this problem. Changing a small habit, incorporating walking, has made a huge difference. So how about you? What things are coming to mind that if you changed just one thing and created a new habit your future could be bigger and better?
Relationships
Ask yourself: “What bad habit do I have, damages or impedes an important relationship in my life?”
What about the habit of staying safe and in our comfort zone? Are you in the habit of playing it safe, even though you want to do ___ (you fill in the blank of something you’ve always wanted to do)? What is your soul telling you? Is it joining that new group? Is it taking that class to learn how to do ____. Is it accepting that invitation to go to someplace with someone when you’re in the habit of saying no and not going?
Here is another one: “Are you in the habit of being negative? Looking for what’s wrong. What’s not going well?” Complaining! You do it so much; you can’t even see it’s become a habit!
Winning habits create a winning life. The idea here is to look at our current habits. We choose the actions that we choose; that have worked for us. Give yourself the space to ask if there is a new and better habit, a winning habit, that could actually improve that area of your life?
As I’m address this, I am sure there is something you are thinking about. That’s just how our brain works. What if, while it’s fresh, you get out that journal and write it down? Or, if there are several things, write them all down! Once it’s on paper it gives us clarity. It’s not just a passing thought; it’s a real idea—something you can take a look at and change if you decide you want to!
Is Your Future Bigger than Your Past? This is a question I want you to think about! I think about this question all the time. And as a Christian I think, God has not brought me this far and taught me this much to say: :Ok Monette that was your journey. You are done now.” I do not believe that at all! Regardless of what life-stage you are in, if you truthfully answer the “Is your future bigger than you past” question, it can be a valuable tool for you! We are the only ones who truly know what our thoughts are. If you want your future to be bigger than your past, you have to be honest with yourself. The decisions we make on a daily basis will determine our future. Do you like your decisions? You are the only person who can truly answer that question. If you don’t and you believe that if you made a different decision, and you do it consistently, that decision will become a new habit, your life will change for the better.
Questions to Challenge Yourself
- Is your future bigger than your past?
- Do you believe winning habits can create a winning life?
- Are you willing to take a truthful look at your habits to create better habits?
We’re all on a journey, why not make it a positive growing experience.
Monette hosts a weekly podcast: Mornings with Monette. She has been a lifelong learner and and appreciates the opportunity to share what she has learned–both through her podcast and here at The Best-Life Project (based on the content of her weekly podcast). Her messages are raw, honest and straight from the heart. She lives in Albuquerque, NM with her husband Leland. They have three adult children and are enjoying living their best lives filled with travel and adventure.