A big thank you once more to Sally Inkster for 'guest' blogging last week. It's great to see new readers following the blog and new people posting comments each week. It's also great to be back writing the blog and this week I've drawn my inspiration from my children - Becca & Alex.
Wondering through Chester the other week after seeing a client, I was looking around and what caught my eye was the shop called Jigsaw - not that I've ever been in, or have the foggiest idea what they sell exactly.
It did however, seem rather 'fitting' when you consider that last weeks blog was all about the importance of dressing well!
What struck me wasn't the fact that this was a clothes shop; but the fact that our lives can be seen as a jigsaw and that we can draw strength and hope from our experiences in the past.
Alex is at the stage in his development where he's playing with his wooden jigsaw. At first he would get frustrated and winge a little if the pieces didn't fit together. We would immediately step in and help him.
What I realised is that at this stage the jigsaw is all about look and feel. Does it look like it's in the right place? Does it feel right and fit in?
Now watching Becca doing a jigsaw is completely different and equally captivating. Becca loves doing a jigsaw and has quickly mastered the lessons that we pass on as parents about 'how to do a jigsaw'...Those lessons involve; finding the corners and edges first, putting them together and then working on the picture in the middle.
This approach to completing a jigsaw seems pretty logical to most and yet it delivers results every time. So what can you learn from this activity and use in your everyday life?
Let's look at the key pieces of a (standard) jigsaw and translate them:
- The 4 corners = your rocks (goals)
- The edges = your foundation (plan)
- Picture = your creation (achievement through doing)
If your life is a jigsaw, what are your goals in life? If you don't have goals; what are you aiming for?
Decide on your goals first of all and then build the foundation. This is the plan. The plan guides you towards your goals and don't worry if it changes along the way - the reality is it will!
Once the plan is in place, set about creating your picture. These are the steps along the way. The little steps that, everyday will move you towards achieving your goals. If you have a goal (like one of my friends) to work in America, then do at least one thing everyday that moves you closer to working in America.
1 thing everyday over 365 days = 365 steps closer towards working in America! Taking the words from the Nike advert - Just do it...
Remember: Knowledge is only as good as what you do with it!
If you know where you want to get to and you have a plan; the only thing stopping you...is YOU
Have an awesome week doing whatever you do, and aim to do at least 7 things which move you towards where you want to get to!
Regards
Jeff
