When my wife and I had our first baby I could take on anything the day threw at me with only 5 hours of sleep. After a while each day felt more rugged than the last like a turbulent rollercoaster bouncing down the tracks. Almost as if the collection of those nights with only 5 hours of sleep have returned to haunt me. A nightmare that causes me to stumble from reaching my personal and professional goals.
A moment in time like this example are what I like to call “Brick Walls”.
Examples of Brick Walls
Brick walls are a phenomenon where you encounter a sudden and abrupt obstacle or barrier that impedes progress.
Let’s explore a few examples of what brick walls could be.
Example #1: Do you remember those sleepless nights from the above example? Personally, they contributed to a lack of motivation in my desire to exercise regularly. I would get home from seeing clients and decide that I was so mentally exhausted that I just needed to rest. Even though I knew rest consisted of just sitting on the couch and watching television or endlessly scrolling on my phone. Ergo, brick wall.
Example #2: Another example of a brick wall is when you had a previously scheduled engagement/meeting that abruptly changed at the last second. Being present at the new meeting time now coincides with the time you originally planned to exercise. Thus creating a wall big enough for you to trip over and stumble.
Example #3: What about when a mix of issues arise all at once over the span of a few days? This particular situation tends to happen when we might have procrastinated on certain projects that needed more time and attention in addition to other daily responsibilities. This example can lead to a lack of confidence and when it becomes a common occurrence it can feel as if being pummeled by a reinforced concrete brick wall over, and over, and over again.
If you have more examples of Brickwall’s send me an email at brad@theimpactelement.com
Brick wall Busters
When you encounter a brick wall it’s extremely hard to notice and even harder to admit that you have hit one.
This is due to the massive influence they have on our decision making process. Which is why I have implemented a few mechanisms to bust those brick walls as soon as I encounter them.
Option #1: Choose a word for the year. This word is chosen before the new year so you have a rallying cry to fall in line with when you need it most.
To be a caring husband, a loving dad, and fulfill my responsibilities at work proved extremely difficult to do with only a few precious hours of sleep during those early weeks of having a new born.
Therefore, my word for that year was relentless.
It was my mantra. I kept repeating “I have to be relentless” so it would get me through the difficult moments of that season of my life.
Option #2: Utilize the rock, pebbles and sand method of prioritization. This triage method of organization allows you to keep track of the biggest responsibilities that need to be completed today (rocks). Rocks are labeled as the highest priority. Pebbles are labeled as a moderate priority. Pebbles are tasks that could be done today or in the following days if you have the available amount of resources and time to complete it. It is possible that pebbles have to become rocks the very next day due to the nature of the task or a deadline, but not always. The lowest priority tasks are the sand. Sand is literally anything else. If you have any extra available time after the rocks and pebbles you can move to the tasks that have no time table and could be either a future rock or pebble that aren’t that important at the time.
Option #3: When your confidence is frayed and nothing seems to be going in the right direction, making small incremental displays of confidence is a valuable tool for battling brick walls. Pick out a certain action that requires almost no confidence in order to complete. For example: When I am not looking forward to making a phone call, I first look for the number I need to call. Next, I write down the number I need to call and leave it front and center where I do most of my work. Last but not least is calling the number. I start with the smallest possible action that gets me in the direction toward achieving the confidence I need to complete the next action.
Hitting a brick wall is an inevitable part of life, waiting for the worst time to strike. If you deploy deterrent mechanisms, you can continue reaching your personal and professional goals without being sucked into a downward spiral of misguided decisions.
A bonus option #4: JUST ADMIT YOU HIT ONE and then utilize the other 3 brick wall busters to help you get back on track. The faster we recognize when we are struggling the easier it will be to correct course and feel inspired.
