Veering Off – The Challenge of Staying True to a Strong Foundation.

Introduction:

Welcome my friend,

It's another beautiful weekend that has again offered us the privilege of hanging out here together.

How have you been?

Indeed, it's been such a quick turnaround that it feels like we were here just yesterday.

Yet honestly, who’s complaining about that, when it also means we get these moments, sharing these very words.

Well, I do hope you’re doing well, not because everything is perfectly easy right now, but because you’ve discovered how to embrace that deep, unshakable peace and joy that surpasses all understanding.

The truth is, just like we reflected on last week, life becomes richer when we make the conscious choice to face it with a smile, no matter the circumstances.

Today though, we're going to dive right into a new conversation, exploring some of the real challenges that can arise when we try to continue building on the strong, solid foundation we’ve already established for ourselves.

Discussion:

My work in building the online presence of personal brands has brought a certain level of proximity to quite a number of very good professionals, especially futures and forex traders.

In this, I've observed that they usually function within a structure, having a routine way of doing things, repeatedly daily.

For them, most of their successes have come from consistency and repetition, continually building on their progress by constantly replicating the same things that got them that far.

According to them, the moment they tilt from their respective structures, everything else comes crashing down because they can no longer replicate the process that makes these successes possible.

This is what it means to veer off, moving off a course that has brought progress, and failing to build on the solid foundation that has been already set.

Does this sound familiar?

Truth is, one of the reasons we find ourselves moving in cycles without real sustainable progress is because we're quick to abandon the very things that got us success immediately we begin to see progress.

This is a common challenge and forms the basis for today’s conversation.

■ Identifying Common Reasons We Veer Off

To veer off course is to simply fall victims of our own successes, probably a little too overwhelmed by them.

When a person finds themselves living a life they once dreamed of, it's normal if they don't know how to behave, as they're just getting to grips with their new reality.

This makes it a delicate season for them, one that requires carefulness, so that they don't self-destruct, making mistakes that can have lasting consequences, even altering the cause of their lives.

Truth is, as we grow and make progress, building on the foundations we've laid can be a challenge for most of us, for a number of reasons, causing us to stagnate or gradually slip back, repeating a vicious cycle of staying stuck in one place.

Some of these reasons include;

▪︎ Comfort 

For most people, desperation keeps them focused, so that with their backs to the wall, they're ready to push through, finding the inner strength to pull themselves out of difficult situations.

Yet, the moment they get a breather, they allow complacency to step in, failing to build on the same resilience that allowed them to pull through.

Truly, many times we become victims of our own comfort, because we're much more relaxed in our current state that we dump the diligence, excellence, good behaviors or work rate that provided us with those comforts.

Which is exactly why we veer off, suffering the consequences of drifting away from the direction of our destination.

▪︎ Better Opportunities 

It takes a certain level of self control to hold back from engaging our distractions when we certainly have the means to.

As we grow in significance, position or status, we become privy to more opportunities to engage in destructive habits that are very enticing and fascinating, because they're freely thrown at us, or because we can afford them.

Yet, the moment we do, we realize that discipline doesn't really deny us of pleasures but protects us from the harm that comes as part of the consequences of these behaviors.

Truth is, most of our growth can expose us to some of our biggest temptations, testing us greatly, and if we're not aware and well grounded it's easy to find ourselves veering off.

▪︎ Overconfidence 

The tendency to feel invisible because of the success we've achieved is always there and can be a huge trap.

When a person becomes carried away by their own successes, they begin to ignore the little details that make them stand out until they lose their unique touch of brilliance.

When we're on top of our game, it's wise to stay humble, doubling down on the habits that have accelerated our success, rather than veer off, passing up new opportunities to learn and grow further, because we think we already know.

▪︎ Old Habits

The common saying that “old habits die hard” holds true and many times these habits resurface even after we've intentionally worked on them on our way to success.

Truth is, the moment our success makes us let our guards down, the urge to slip back into these habits can return.

It first starts as that feeling that “a little here and there won't hurt”, then soon enough, it becomes a full blown return to our harmful old habits.

Here, it does help to remind ourselves what these behaviors have cost us in the past, let alone now that we have even more to lose.

■ Getting Back On Track

The awareness to recognize that our loss of motion is because we've veered off, is the first step to getting back on track.

Truth is, the first thing that happens when we misstep is that we halt our progress.

Which is exactly where most people lose it, allowing their frustrations towards that to get the better of them, costing them even more.

Here, in that state of mental distress, poor judgement is prevalent, leading to a series of bad decisions; accompanied by their inevitable consequences.

This isn't the way to go.

The fact that we have lost track doesn’t mean we can't retrace our steps, gradually returning to the disciplined behaviors that have brought us so far.

Indeed, we have what it takes because we have shown so in the past, what we just need is to be willing and intentional about making that retrace.

Here, it does help to stop exposing ourselves to people or situations that really tempt us.

Most times it's easier to stay away than try to resist the very things that we still crave.

■ If We Don't Get Back On Track 

As believers, it's typical of us to run to God at our lowest, crying out for mercy and divine help.

Yet, the moment He answers us, and makes a way, we completely abandon Him, running off to the very things that keep ruining us.

This is unwise and if we continue in this behavior, we leave Him with no choice than to use life's hardships or some form of adversity to catch our attention, stopping us dead in our tracks.

Truth is, God is love and part of that love is discipline, treating us in a way that gets us back on track.

He isn't just interested in blessing us alone, He's interested in our lives, what we do with these blessings, and how we can bless others.

Which means that when we begin to behave as though we're overwhelmed by these blessings, misusing them, and veering off because of them, He steps in to correct us, withholding them back from us.

Indeed, this isn't something we'd like to experience, which is why we can as well start retracing our steps before He's forced to do so for us.

Summary:

It's not about how well we start but how well we end, which is why we must never get complacent on the way.

The reward for hard work is usually more hard work as our success opens us to more responsibilities.

Yet, these responsibilities make us fulfilled, living the life of our purpose.

Embrace it.

Master Apprentice.

www.x.com/truekingmaker