Patience: Part Deux

Yesterday I got to the bottom of the secret to patience.

Step 1:  Pray Fervently
Step 2:  Present your requests to God
Step 3:  Wait; yes, actually wait
Step 4:  Be content with the process and watch God work!

Currently, I am working diligently on being content in two areas...getting a solid offer in my chosen profession; moving from a contract consulting arrangement to a paid employee, and waiting; without much patience at this point, to move into my first house.

My cousin and I talked recently when I visited him in Denver, Colorado. We both agreed, that at this point in our lives, we imagined that we would have been quite a bit further with respect to the reality of where we actually are in our lives.

We seem to be a little discontent with where we are in our respective careers, our personal savings is certainly and undoubtedly NOT where we thought it should be, and; as a comparison to others in our family and network of friends, we seem to be behind and less stable than our family and respective counterparts that we set our bar against.

Are we really designed to be content? To be patient in our processes with respect to life, and our life goals?

I would wager that we are NOT! Even if we focus solely on completely comparing ourselves to ourselves; based on the goals, setbacks, wants, desires, dreams, and those things that we actually obtain; it is incredibly hard to be patient and content.

Why is this so?

I believe that often we set the bar "too high." If you have any aspirations of greatness, or you are as I am; a Type-A personality, you are definitely prone to setting goals that are outside of your reach. They say that goals are to be "SMART!" Specific, Manageable, Achievable, Reach-able, and with a specific Time of Time-frame for completion. Even the very best of us have a hard time defining goals in this way. I certainly did not come up with this acronym or moniker, but it does make sense at the core with respect to the idea; maintaining a positive and contented attitude while we are within the process to reaching our defined goals.

So, beyond following the aforementioned acronym closely; and fervently, "How can we be MORE content with the process?"

Do we need to simply believe and have faith in the SMART moniker? Do we need to believe and have faith in the Heinz slogan; which states that "Good Things Come to those Who Wait? Or do we just have to believe and have faith in Steps 1 - 4 mentioned above?

Surely following all three couldn't hurt, and could present actionable results. But what does the Apostle Paul say concerning the above?

For starters, I believe and have faith in the last part of the three-step process mentioned above. Pray, Ask, Wait, and Be Content have Faith; believing that the process will take care of the rest. It also helps; immensely, to have "SMART" goals, and then to have Faith that the Waiting within the Process will produce the desired outcome, in GOD's TIME!

While "hard to handle", following these steps have the ability to produce the desired results that you are looking for. Stop! comparing yourself to others. Focus on YOU and YOU alone. Reaching your personal goals, sans comparing yourself to others, can be liberating! Be content in the process. Set small SMART goals, and be as content in the process; as "humanly" possible.

Try it for a week, then a few weeks, and then a month. Start daily if you must. Personally, a "to-do-list" helps me. It feels good to cross things off the list. It makes the easy and hard things seem achievable. Start with the most important, and smallest; and then move on to the most small, and hardest. Then work up the list. You'll be amazed at how well you will feel, if you follow the above, and then apply this system.

In closing, I would say that, this now, four-step process will help you reach more goals, feel more productive, and finally, feel more confident in the process.

At this time of year, it is undeniably helpful to plan the goals that you want to reach in the coming year. 2017 is nearly here. One Holiday left, and then the impending New Year's celebration.

Start small, stay focused, cross things of the list daily.

Finally, "Draw your Plans in Sand, and Etch your Goals in Stone!" Draw with the proverbial stick in the sand daily, and prior to; get that Chisel swinging before drawing!

You'll be amazed at the eventual outcome, feel good along the way, and with faith and belief, you may just find at the end of 2017, you have accomplished more; looking back to the beginning of the year, than you ever have.

Cheers!