Once you’ve taken the opportunity to uncover your why of
project management (and potentially other areas of your life) it is time to
bring your why into focus. Keeping it visible, tangible, and ever present allows
it to continue to flourish. I find that a sticky note, a vision board, a reminder
of some sort is extremely beneficial. There is a boost in energy when my eyes
land on what is important to me. I find that seeing it reminds me to be
it and being it creates the energy to take the actions needed to be my best at
what I’m doing. The actions needed to be my best are what practicing is all
about. Practicing, repeatedly pushing my limits, can at times be boring and can
fall into mindlessness. The boost of energy to be what I am choosing to be and
do it to the best of my ability in any given moment requires reminders. Your
why is your reminder of the reasons you have chosen to BE a project manager.
Take 20 minutes to create a picture, a page, a 3x5 card or
a big sticky that you can see on a regular basis as a reminder. Create it in a
way that you will smile when your eyes land on it. Make it so that it is real
for you, a way to shower yourself with the energy of what you want to create
with your project management. Whether you recognize it or not, you are creating
something in every moment of your day. You are generating something out of nothing
with every breath. Just like your cells regenerating, you are evolving into your
own creation by navigating the circumstances of your life. Each choice you make,
either moving toward or away from your why, is something you are creating. Bringing
your best self to what you are creating is what practicing is all about. Having
your reminders in place will allow you to continue to practice when you may
rather not and while motivation is not the only thing necessary to maintain a
practice regimen, it is one of the components that will make a difference.
One thing before closing out this post and I may find
myself coming back to it often. Abraham Hicks loves to say “Words do not teach”
and I’ve heard other similar phrases. It is like getting caught in a web of
books. Reading, studying, and listening to continue to improve whatever we are
focused on improving without taking any action. Reading without applying what
is being read does not work. Knowledge without action does not work. It is
through experience, trial and error, and repeatedly shifting when something isn’t
working (which is what practicing is) that we will learn. It is like reading a
book with exercises and not doing the exercises or like being in a class,
workshop or lecture without participating. It is through choosing to be present,
putting ourselves on the line, doing something we’ve not done before, trying something
that is uncomfortable and stretches our current mindset that creates an
environment where growth can happen.
Take the time, know why you’ve chosen to be a project manager, know what is important to you, get in touch with your reasons that you’ve picked this particular career. It may be the best gift you can give yourself to lighten your step and make the journey enjoyable. It takes time, energy and commitment to become good at something. Let yourself know your reasons so you can make the commitment, create consistency, embrace compassion, generate clarity, and grow your competence. It will give you insights into how you spend your time and what you want to contribute to your own growth. As I’ve been told, do the work, without doing the work, nothing will change.
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