Recalibrate: The Key to Finishing Well
Society seems inundated with an obsession to finish first.
Rushing to the front of lines.
Scurrying to traffic lights.
Navigating without any regard for what or who is in our fast and furious pathway.
Somehow, this reactive behavior has seeped into our innermost thoughts. We set resolutions and goals to keep up with the momentum of a world that hinges on push notifications. In our haste to satisfy aggressive egos, our subconscious pays the ultimate price. We move through days, months, and years promising to meet a self-imposed deadline that is rooted in comparison.
Being better.
Doing better.
And the nouns who are juxtaposed to that narrative grow more septic by the day. When will we awaken from this simulation? When will we realize these seeds, scattered on thorny ground, have produced an insatiable thirst?
How was that for an opening?!
It was my unique way of introducing this topic to you. The readers. The intellectuals.
The ones who will share this message broadly because it resonates like medieval church bells echoing throughout the serene countryside.
We’ve officially entered the last quarter of 2024. Time seems to be moving at warp speed.
Unfortunately, many people believe advancing at a slower tempo compartmentalizes their lives. They translate it as a means of being sequestered into the shadows while others surpass them. However, I’d like to share an unconventional concept: Well-paced satisfaction is not synonymous with complacency.
Powerful things happen when we pause the steady stream of our to-do lists. It creates a space to truly revel in the smaller steps that have garnered unexpected victories. Shedding the burden of hastiness to sit among fulfilled dreams and bask in their radiance is a manner of blessing yourself. That blessing is called recalibration.
It’s the art of giving your soul permission to change course. At a moment’s notice. Devoid of overanalyzing the outcome.
Our annual resolutions rarely include escape clauses for unrealistic expectations. Or a line item that says, “in the event that life happens”. Because it always does.
So, what is the key to ensuring a fruitful outcome today?
Tomorrow?
This week?
This year?
Here are three healthy takeaways that may be implemented on your journey to embracing a winner’s mindset in this final stretch:
Understand that intentionality is not limited by time.
Your timeline is just that – your preferred window of execution. No one else knows what you’ve planned, so ease your grip and hold onto the reins loosely. Make room for sharp contrasts to appear out of the blue. Perhaps your vision will swell with such power that it cannot be contained in your isolated capsule. Just know that planning with intention will always yield a harvest. Sometimes, you may need to wait for the weather conditions to be prime for reaping. That’s the perfect segue into the next major mindset shift.
Don’t let your gifts smother your purpose.
You may have the ability to do some things (or many things) quite well. That is not an indication that those opportunities should be pursued now – or ever. Gifts can bring you before astute people. However, please remain mindful of the impetus behind your passion, so that you don’t enter seasons prematurely. It could be the difference between the life and death of a purpose-filled encounter.
Steward your mind, body, and spirit simultaneously.
Your pursuits will only be as good as the vessel that contains them. It’s vital to nurture your mind with thoughts that produce healthy outcomes. Just as the body can be trained in a gym, our mental capacity can become disciplined to rule with virtues instead of vices. The spirit should be irrigated often. This practice will usher out old habits that attempt to nestle themselves into familiar spaces within the soul. You are an image bearer of God, which means that you’ve been given the authority to command your own success.
Finishing well is not an illusion nor is it out of your reach.
Go back to the drawing board.
Eliminate the outside noise.
Breathe, build, and believe.
Imani Brooks-Wheeler is a C-Suite strategist, Speaker, and Spiritual Care Advisor & Mediator for High-Net-Worth individuals. Explore more about her powerful journey at www.ImaniBrooksWheeler.com.