Ever pull into the parking lot at work and realize that you don’t remember the drive that got you there?
You stopped at all the stop-lights, signaled to change lanes, and maybe even parked the car without being fully aware of what you were doing.
Basically, you were so deep in thought about that upcoming presentation you have to deliver, the contentious relationship with a coworker or simply what to make for dinner, that you drove to work on autopilot.
Most of us have done it.
Do you recall how startled you were, when you realized you couldn’t remember the drive?
I’ve gotten angry with myself, when I realized the autopilot driving experience just took place.
“Linal, you cannot do that!”, I will scream in my head.
Most of us get startled by the autopilot driving experience because we understand how dangerous driving can be, even when we are fully aware of all of our actions. Thus, driving on autopilot has the potential to be very costly. Yet, even with full knowledge of the potential danger, we still have to work at it, to stay fully engaged behind the wheel.
Now take the autopilot driving experience and compare it to your life.
Are you living on autopilot?
When was the last time you were deliberate about how you lived out a day?
What about a week?
That’s right, you planned out everyday of that week.
…and to be clear, I’m not talking about meetings and conference calls at work. I’m talking about your personal time.
When was the last time you planned out your personal time for a month?
When was the last time you set a goal for the month, with milestone accomplishments for each week, that required certain task each day?
When was the last time you planned out a year?
Making a New Year’s resolution is different, from creating the plan to see your resolutions through to the end of the year.
Maybe you’ve never created a plan.
You’ve just been going with the flow.
Well, if that’s the case; I hope I’ve startled you or can startle you today!
Because the truth of the matter is;
No one plans to be unhealthy,
No one plans to get sick,
No one plans to have financial struggles,
No one plans to create a bad habit they cannot kick.
No one plans to be unhappy,
No one plans to be a joke,
No one plans to be just a little bit short,
And no one plans to retire broke.
Yet, it happens!
It happens to people like you and I everyday.
It happens because they didn’t have a plan.
It continues to happen because they don’t have a plan.
They just wake up everyday on autopilot.
…and while driving on autopilot may get you to work.
Living on autopilot won’t get you anywhere worth being.
At this point I’m hoping I startled you.
I’m not asking you for money.
I’m not asking for your first-born.
I’m just asking you to be engaged in your life!
Be deliberate about how you live!
Disengage the autopilot and come off cruise control.
Yeah…it’s gonna take some work, but 2016 is the perfect year to start by creating a plan!
Are you in?
If the answer is yes…
Then get to work and create your plan!
About the Author:
Linal Harris
Global Entrepreneur – Certified Life Coach – Media Personality – Speaker
Linal Harris is a Corporate America graduate, global entrepreneur, certified life coach, and media personality. He has penned over 200 blog posts on his popular website of 5 years, InspirationalPerspective.com and recorded over 200 radio shows on his weekly WVON 1690 AM talk radio program, “Inspirational Perspective”—which he also broadcasts live to his Periscope channel. Harris is a heavily sought-after speaker for conferences and events across the country. He is gifted in custom designing presentations for specific audiences that motivate and inspire. He has been called upon by numerous professional career organizations, universities and Fortune 500 companies to facilitate goal-setting sessions and provide inspirational talks. In 2015, Harris was inducted into Triton College’s Alumni Hall of Fame and he was the recipient of the 2013 Chicago Defender’s Men of Excellence award and the 2012 Chicago Urban Roundtable’s 40 Game Changers Under 40 award.
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