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THIS BLOG’S ROI: A Brutally Honest Opportunity For A Mid-Year Life Inventory Check-In
Time to read: 5 minutes
“Now, I want to be clear, if you’re seeking comfort and confirmation that your average effort will somehow produce the extraordinary results you are expecting, the rest of this email is not for you.”
As a high-performance life coach, I often encounter the same recurring theme. People are so fixated on the outcomes they desire, that they completely bypass crucial opportunities to check in, take inventory on what is working and what is not, and address the necessary corrections in order to right the ship.
Even more, they tend to gloss over the current reality of their lives.
The midway point of a year can be a valuable opportunity and a stark wake-up call. It’s often the cold piece of humble pie mixed with a shot of reality that this “New Year” has yet to produce a “New You.” It’s at this moment when we realize we’ve fallen off track, we’re not where we thought we’d be, and our end-of-year goals are getting further and further out of reach. If this resonates with you:
Now, I want to be clear, if you’re seeking comfort and confirmation that your average effort will somehow produce the extraordinary results you are expecting, the rest of this email is not for you.
I imagine you’re here because you need a mirror held up to your life. This won’t be easy, but if you’re willing to face the reality of your present situation and confront your self-sabotaging behaviors, then you’re ready for a transformative second half of the year. Remember, growth doesn’t come from merely passing time, it stems from dedicated time invested in conscious personal development.
Let’s take this head-on. Here are the key areas to reflect on as you take your Mid-Year Life Inventory:
1. Current Reality: Where are you now? Not where you wish you were, not where you think you should be, but where are you right now in your life? Take a hard look at your relationships, career, health, finances, personal development and how you are spending your time, money, and energy.
2. Working vs. Failing: What’s working well in your life? Conversely, what isn’t? Which areas of your life provide fulfillment, and which areas are causing you added or unneeded stress and disappointment?
3. Skill & Habit Development: What skills and habits do you need to develop to achieve your goals? Whether it’s improving communication, becoming more organized, learning new business strategies, taking better care of your physical or mental health, or honing emotional intelligence, pinpoint what you need to learn, then actually put a strategy in place to improve it.
4. Saying No: What do you need to start saying No to? Remember, every ‘yes’ is a ‘no’ to something else. Identify what you need to release or do less of, in order to make room for growth. Your fastest path to more success is often in saying NO to way more things.
5. Priorities: What do you need to prioritize in your life? Prioritizing isn’t just about creating a to-do list, it’s about understanding what truly matters to you and aligning your actions accordingly. Everything can’t be a priority at once. What is the MOST important over these next 6 months, and what can and should be put on pause until next year? Trying to do it all, often leads to doing very little.
6. Excuses: What are the excuses you continue to feed yourself? Why are you allowing yourself to continually break your personal promises and commitments? How can you start holding yourself more accountable and how can you start keeping your own word to yourself? Self-esteem and self-trust are destroyed when you continue to let yourself off the hook.
7. Self-Sabotage: Where and why are you self-sabotaging? Is fear, comfort, or a lack of self-belief causing you to derail your own progress? Where can you increase external accountability and begin building momentum and confidence? Limiting beliefs will hold you back more than circumstances ever will. There is enough to battle in this world without having to battle yourself from the inside.
This reflection will not be easy. In fact, it might even be a bit triggering, and that’s okay. Most of you will just skim through the 7 questions and go on with your day. Well that’s still better than nothing, if you really want to change the trajectory of your year, you need to put pen to paper and answer these questions thoroughly. It’s time to face the music.
This process is meant to spark discomfort. It’s meant to challenge you and catalyze change. When we get comfortable, we get complacent. Growth occurs when we lean into the discomfort, face our challenges, and muster the courage to make necessary changes.
Now that you’ve taken a thorough inventory, use this insight as your starting point. Understand that if nothing changes, nothing changes. Accept your present situation, no matter how messy it may be. But don’t get complacent. Don’t allow yourself to settle for less than you know you are capable of. Use your emotion to fuel your behavior change. Use your frustration as a stepping-stone to the life you desire and deserve.
Rise to the challenge. No more falling off the track, no more holding back, and sure as hell no waiting until next year. You have 6 months left to make this year memorable. Start implementing positive changes today and holding yourself to a higher standard.
People don’t rise to the level of their desires, then fall to the level of their standards. RAISE YOUR STANDARDS!
From this point onward, take ownership over the narrative of your life. The second half of the year is yours to seize. Get fired up, get excited to grow, and let’s make the rest of this year one to remember.
Your Coach,
-Brett Eaton