What conditions do you have surrounding your progress?

February 7, 2025
4:23 AM

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to a few people who are just as passionate about self-improvement as I am. When I asked them about their goals, they clearly described what they wanted: "I want to make X dollars." "I want to move to Y." "I want to create Z." However, when I asked them about their plans, I discovered they had many conditions around how they wanted to achieve it: "I'm not willing to do A." "I only want to if B." "I can only do C."

Many of these conditions had to do with what they disliked, what they weren't comfortable with, and what they felt didn't align with who they were. It wasn't anything anyone could argue with. However, I couldn't help but feel their conditions kept them from their goals the same as any other invalid excuse. As someone used to tell me, "You can either have reasons or results, not both. If you want results, you must let go of your reasons, no matter how justified they are."

The thing is, defining goals is not so easily distinguished from making excuses. Think about your own goals. What conditions do you have surrounding your success? How do you differentiate between setting personal boundaries with making unnecessary excuses? Where do you draw the line between standing for your values and adapting to the demands of your situation?

Here's what I learned for myself. The boundaries that define who I am today keep me from becoming who I need to be to fulfill the goals I want to accomplish. To be more valuable than the things I attain, my path should challenge my sense of self and test me to do new things outside the realm of how I see myself today. It doesn't mean I need to change, but I need to develop new aspects of myself that allow me to make the most of the opportunities I have. The question I ask myself shouldn't be, "Does this path align with who I am today?" but, "Will I be grateful I took this path in the future?"

If you find your goals bombarded by a list of conditions that limit your progress, know that nothing worth having comes free. Whether it's your health, wealth, or relationships, it comes with a price that demands more than your time, money, and effort. It requires you to give up the attachment to the identity you hold of yourself so that you can grow into a new and improved person. You may know who you've been, but you don't know who you could be. Take it upon yourself to find out. Discovering yourself is meant to be a journey that lasts your lifetime.

5:23 AM
Chris X