Just Say No to Resistance!
A few years back, Linda, one of my coaching colleagues, sent me a book: “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield and I picked it back up again this past week. Like so many other books it is one that I turn to every few years. For this book, I go back to it when I feel the tug of resistance, when the path seems a bit rough or when I am not making the progress that I want. One of the main topics in the book is ‘Resistance’.
Resistance has the habit of popping its’ head up when we are ‘close’ but not quite there yet. When we can see the top of the mountain, but it still seems so far and so steep. Resistance, like so many other devious creatures, can take on a form that changes - evolves. It finds our most vulnerable area and preys on that to get us to stop. Our mission, therefore, is to resist and move forward anyway.
For me, resistance can take the form of ‘fear’. Getting into that fight, flight or freeze mode. One of the stories that Steven Pressfield tells is how Henery Fonda would vomit prior to every performance, even at the age of 75. I guess for some of us, fear is what we learn to live with. If we can be as brave as Henry Fonda, we will still show up and do the job in front of us. We will not let resistance win or allow it to keep us from moving forward.
For me, I am constantly facing the fear, facing the perfectionism, facing the fact that something might not work, facing that I might be judged or laughed at (…hey I used to hate to go to the hairstylist, feeling that they would judge me for my hair and when I was young I had good hair). What I have learned, as I have grown older, is to just keep moving forward. Keep that momentum going!
Right now, for Steve and me, resistance is coming in the finishing touches of the Community structure. We are both still engaged in other endeavors, but the NexxtLevel Brands Community is one of our callings. Helping those we know, and will know in the future, move past their resistance and manifest (yes, using that word!) their calling, hopefully, your calling to bring your products out to the world.
One of the ah-ha’s that I had from the book, is to just do the work. To make sure that we are making progress, making the time (the dishes can wait) and pushing back at resistance. For each of us, how we push back may be different, but for the author, it is writing at the same time every day. For CPG entrepreneurs, it might be setting up and scheduling a time to reach out to buyers, Just like many of you already have a time scheduled in the kitchen or at the market. When we have a commitment of time, we usually can make it work.
Where are the areas where you find your resistance? What can you do to make sure that you move past that resistance? What has worked for you in the past? I know for me having a commitment to someone else gets me moving.
Some ideas to push back the resistance, and I am always open to more.
• Set up an accountability partner person or join a group
• Have a Power Hour, to get something specific done.
• If an hour seems too long, agree to do something for 10 minutes. Once you start, I’m willing to bet you will keep going
• Set up a commitment that you can’t break or is going to cause you a lot more time/money/embarrassment
• Use the stick! Have a penalty, that if you don’t get a task done, will be one that you will really dislike.
One thing that is for sure – when you are moving forward, the momentum will help keep you going.
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