The "3 C's" to Creating Breakthroughs in Your Life (Part 3)

“You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”

                                                                            - Carl Gustav Jung

Welcome to the final installment of our three-part series entitled, “The 3 C’s of Creating Breakthroughs.”

In our first segment, I discussed “C number one” which is to Clarify Your Vision. 

Last week I discussed the “Second C” of Creating Your Plan, which comprised of the following four elements. 

• Begin with the end in mind – then break it down
• Identifying who can hold you capable in breaking through
• What obstacles to you need to plan for? And…
• What celebration will you take part in when you achieve breakthrough?

If you would like to take a deeper dive into these and other principles to achieving breakthroughs, download my free report…

The Top Ten Big Ideas to Creating Breakthroughs

In part three of this series, we will explore the “final C”, Consistent Action.

I love the opening quote from Carl Jung who says, “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”

In the past, many of us may have had great intentions of breaking through barriers in our life to achieve a desired goal, and failed, even when we had a clear vision for what we wanted and a plan to make it happen.

When these failures have occurred my life, it is usually not because I failed to take action in the beginning when enthusiasm was high for embarking on a new project.  It is because I failed to take consistent action throughout my entire journey towards my desired goal. 

As often seen in athletic endeavors, many are great starters, but true champions know how to continue, even when the shine has worn off, and finish the job.

So, how do you ensure that you can take consistent action towards your goal, even when obstacles appear or enthusiasm wanes? 

It is my belief that breaking things down into smaller tasks and committing to making them anchors in your daily and weekly routines (despite how you feel) is the key to doing the work needed to achieve breakthrough.

As one of my teachers once said, “Small actions, taken consistently over time, lead to massive results.”

Here are the three key strategies to ensure that you take Consistent Action on your road to breakthrough.

DAILY TASKS

In Creating Your Plan, we discussed the importance of breaking down our goals into small digestible activities, that when taken, can lead us to breakthrough results.

Once you have identified these tasks and behaviors, it is vitally important to set up a system for how you will complete these items to achieve your breakthrough through the compound effect of systemized daily tasks.  

This includes the following:

1. Make these items a priority by anchoring them in your calendar.
2. Commit to doing these activities during the first portion of your day to avoid possible distraction and getting off course
3. Set yourself up for success by pre-committing to these activities the day or night before they need to be completed, to avoid being taken off course by “I just don’t feel like it-it is”. 
4. Stay on track by implementing your plan developed in the “second C” of this series to handle obstacles, when they arise.

What activities can you anchor in your calendar today that can support you on your road to breakthrough?

Weekly REVIEWS

Weekly reviews can be one of your most valuable tools for keeping you on track while on the road to your breakthrough. 

I recommend doing this at a consistently scheduled time each week that is anchored in your calendar.  This time to review what went well and what didn’t over the past week is critical for you incorporate learnings and make appropriate adjustments to support you in staying on your road to breakthrough.

Power questions to ask yourself each week to get an honest assessment of where you are in your process to breakthrough, may include:

• What worked?
• What didn’t work?
• What learnings did I receive?
• What adjustments do I need to make?
• What actions am I going to take?

Asking and answering these questions is not only great for our own self-reflection, but also will maximize the time you spend with your Capability Partner/Coach to keep you focused, clear and inspired in your quest to breakthrough.

What specific day and time each week can you anchor in your schedule for your Weekly Review?

Ongoing PRACTICES

Finally, achieving breakthroughs can become a normal occurrence in our lives when we discipline ourselves to follow productive practices that support our growth and well-being. 

I have found the following power practices serve as a great foundation for creating consistent and long-lasting breakthroughs in our lives.

• Daily Morning Practices – Consistent morning practices such as mediation, positive mental imaging and moving your body can create a foundation from which you are best prepared to stay on the road to breakthroughs.
• Daily Evening Practices – Powerfully and mindfully completing each day by reflecting on lessons learned and setting intentions to support breakthrough success for the following day and beyond, is a profound practice for success in creating breakthroughs.
• Ongoing Practices – When you understand how these practices go beyond the attainment of a single breakthrough goal and actually act as a means to positively impact your entire life, regardless of your victories, challenges or aspirations, you are well on your way to making breakthroughs a consistent part of your life.

So, there you have it, my friends.  This completes our series on the “3 C’s of Creating Breakthroughs in Your Life.” It is my hope that these concepts helped you to realize that breakthroughs in our lives are indeed possible, when we are clear in our vision, properly plan and take consistent action. 

Once again, if you found these useful, please download my FREE REPORT, The Top Ten Big Ideas to Create Breakthroughs to take a deeper dive into these strategies and principles.

Here’s to your next breakthrough, champion!

Chris Natzke

Black Belt Leadership Speaking & Coaching