In my experience, there are three life stages when it comes to success.

#1 – When we are determined to make a BIG SPLASH, casting our new or expanded vision and setting our ambitious goals for the New Year. “Woo-Hoo – Let’s Go!”

#2 – When we believe in the RIPPLE EFFECT, sustaining, growing, or increasing our success by continuously doing the little things well, consistently, over time. “Steady as she goes!”

#3 – When we roll our eyes at the BIG SPLASH (been there, done that), or have simply lost our MOJO for doing the little things, aka the “Daily Grind,” over time. “My get-up and Go-Go already got up and went.”

If you are experience stage 1 or 2, then you are probably well on your way to the New You in the New Year.

If you are stuck in #3, here are the top 8 things you might be thinking:

1. The mundane never turned into the miraculous.
2. Little never became big.
3. I took it one step at a time, and everyone else passed me by.
4. I worked like I didn’t need money, and now I am in debt.
5. I loved like I’ve never been hurt, and now I am bitter, skeptical, and lonely.
6. I danced like no one was watching and ended up in the hospital with a bad back.
7. I won the rat race, but I’m still a rat.
8. I lived “today” like it was my last day, every day, and now I am broke and fat!

And yet here you are, reading this article, so that could mean a) you are still hanging in there, continuing to show up or b) there’s someone you want to help who acts like they have given up.

Yeah, I know what they say, “Action is where the miracle takes place,” but “showing up” is a form of action and is a part of success. The problem is that it’s hard to see success in slow-motion.

So, what can you do to get your MOJO back?

1. Keep breathing. In fact, take time to be intentional with your breathing and where you choose to breathe. Pick a place that makes you happy. If you can’t physically go there, let your mind go there. Take five deep breaths, hold 2-3 seconds each, and let out slowly. Have you ever heard someone say, “I just need a breath of fresh air”?

2. Keep showing up, even if it’s scrolling through your social media apps, occasionally clicking on something of interest. You may scroll every day for a week just to find one article, one video, one poll, one meme, or one quote “that speaks to you.” Like much of everything else in life, the reward always follows the effort, and furthermore, it sometimes feels like 10 days of effort for one reward, or even months and years of effort for one reward. That’s why it’s important to understand the Law of Averages and recognize that little is big over time.

Have you ever heard the saying, “The more doors you knock on, the more than open”? You may have to knock on 10 doors just to get one “yes,” but once you know the Law of Averages, you are not as discouraged when you get a “no.” Instead you say, “I am one ‘no’ closer to getting a ‘yes’!”  When you believe hearing a “no” gets you closer to hearing a “yes,” your thoughts, your mood, and your behavior become more positive, all of which are connected to your results.

3. Acknowledge how you feel, what you think, or what you believe. It’s like a domino effect. What you believe impacts your thoughts. Your thoughts influence your mood. Your mood influences your behavior, and your behavior influences your results. You are the recipient, or sometimes the victim, of your own behavior. You don’t have to believe everything is all good. You don’t have to pretend like everything is ok. In fact, you can say, “I am NOT ok, but I will be OK.” This is called embracing your reality with hope and optimism.

4. Stay in a state of forward motion, even if it feels like you’re in slow motion. “Being in a state of forward motion is every bit as essential as air is to breathe.” I credit that to a book I read many years ago, Finding Gifts in Every Day Life by Nancy Coey. It was the one little thing I remember from that entire book, and in that moment, it was the one thing I grabbed on to when I was having one of those “show up” kind of days. So, keep moving, keep going, and look for the one thing that gives you a glimmer of hope, or a flicker of light. When that happens remind yourself that as long as you can see a glimmer or a flicker, your MOJO is still there.

5. Learn to say, “Tell me more.” This is one of the most important things you can say when you fuel tank is on empty. Because when you are out of gas, you have no energy. And when you have no energy, you typically aren’t interested in going anywhere, so why would you say, “Yes” to opportunity, especially if it is disguised as hard work? Why would you even “hope” for something? I mean after all, if you get what you hope for, then that means you must have the energy to do something with it. Bottom line - Leave the door cracked and say, “Tell me more.”

When I was a little girl, there was a song we sang in church, and I remember the opening line, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going.” I’ve never forgotten that, although sometimes I must remind myself to remember it, believe in it, and keep looking for the flicker of light.

Want to learn more about, “Tell me more?”  This phrase is the key to change and growth, and it is what the Rectangle is all about in the Shapes Assessment powered by PsychoGeometrics. Learn more about the Rectangle and the other four Shapes in terms of how it impacts who you are, what you do, and how you act. Plus, once you know your “Shape,” you will have a better idea of where your MOJO comes from.

Use the access code: shapetalk and save 20%.