At Business Minded we talk a lot about where we’re going - mapping out our direction and taking consistent action to reach our planned destination. Small consistent wins are the only way to achieve the highest Return on Your Investment possible. That forward focus is essential to drive to the right destination, as picked by you.
How do you know you're on the right track?
To stay on track for our success, we also need to remember to check the rearview every once in a while. This is essential for several reasons. The main reason is to appreciate the distances we’ve come. Reflecting on our accomplishments is a good way to appreciate the efforts that we’ve put in to get to where we are, and to remind us that we can, we will, achieve our goals through consistent action.
This action of reaffirming why we started, where we’re going, and where we came from helps us stay grounded in our pursuits. And while our past doesn’t need to define our future, we shouldn’t forget the trials and tribulations that made us who we are.
Checking the rearview also assists us in our future goal setting and plans. As a quote from Matthew Kelly in his book The Long View:
“Most people overestimate what they can do in a day, and underestimate what they can do in a month. We overestimate what we can do in a year, and underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade.”
- Matthew Kelly, The Long View
When checking the rearview, we can see the level of investment that has provided the current returns. If we want to accomplish more, we can gauge the increased investment required to hit those larger, more inspiring goals.
So look up, glance at that rearview and remember why you started. Remember how far you’ve come. And remember what it took to get there.
Now draw on the strength built in your accomplishments, and more accurately plan out your goals, knowing what it took to get here. Decide what level of investment you need to hit the next milestone in your life, and take action. That new lofty goal ahead of you, that will soon be a map-point in the rearview as well.