How do you achieve what HAS to be achieved when the chips are down? Uevolve career coach Lucinda Harlow has the answer – but you’re not going to like it
Eagle-eyed WeAreTheCity gals will have noticed I’ve not been blogging away for a few weeks. That’s because I’ve been doing the doggie paddle through a tsunami of revision for my MSc exams.
Last September I started a part time masters in psychology at university. It marks an important step in the development of my business. I want to take my occupational psychology expertise to that next level and achieving an MSc is an essential personal goal.
Okay then, how do you achieve a key goal that involves four tons of revision when you also have a career to keep going and – oh, did I mention? – you’re moving house.
You are probably expecting me to say what you all already know, that you get going on some nifty delegation. You really go to town on top line management. Then everything will run like clockwork.
But if I did, I’d be lying.
What you do is you trudge onwards towards the goal. Relentlessly and without stopping for stuff that doesn’t matter. Trudging is a seriously underrated business strategy.
You couldn’t live your whole life like this but in times of crisis, this is how you trudge over the finish line…
- Ditch the guilt. There is zero time for is guilt. I have ditched it. Divorced from it. Not even a Christmas card. Nothing.
- Accept it’s your turn to be given time. For this crucial period you have to tell your other half one stark fact: “You’re on, I’m busy.”
- Take absolutely ruthless advantage. Of friends and family that is. Remember all those times when you have been there when they needed you. It’s payback time.
- Step forward self efficacy. This is something I teach my clients to nurture at all times. It means trusting your ability to get a job done. You’ve been here before. Trust that if you just keep going, things will start to settle, fall into place, take shape and be achieved.
- Pace yourself. Don’t attempt a panicky sprint when you need to adopt a slow and efficient one foot in front of the other. Accept that sometimes you’re doing well just to be pulling off an inelegant crawl forward.
- Keep your poor bloodshot eyes on the goal. Grit your teeth and fill the freezer with fish fingers. This period won’t last forever and think how ace you’ll feel when you’ve pulled it off.
- Ditch absolutely everything that isn’t essential. That’s it.