Do You Know Which Gear Your Life Is In?

How fast is your life going?

Many individuals feel that they are going too slow.

Some people think life is passing them by at an alarming rate.

Others still are just cruising through life, unaware of their speed or destination.

Sometimes, we need to take a moment and check just which gear our life is in.

What Speed Are You Going?

Going too slow. Going too fast.

We all go through periods of both. In fact, life is all about balance.

However, you need to be aware of just how fast you are going. You need to know which gear your life is in.

I can hear some excuses already,

“But, I drive an automatic… I don’t even know how many gears I have.”

That could be part of the issue, your life is in automatic-mode.

What Gear Are You In?

As you drive down the road of life, stop and ask yourself just which gear you are in.

You may be surprised by the answer.

So, check your gear…

  • Reverse  - Are you actually going backwards? Is each day actually taking you further from your goals? Are bad habits or behavior affecting you negatively? If you are not careful, you will backup until you crash into something.
  • 1st Gear – You can’t finish if you don’t start. Can you get up to speed? Let your passion and drive create momentum in your life.
  • 2nd Gear – Are you holding back? Are you timid? Not sure of what you want to do? Make bold decisions in your life. And by all means, choose your own path.
  • 3rd Gear – You are moving, but are you keeping up? Are others passing you by? You can do more than the effort you are giving. You are stronger than you think.
  • 4th Gear- You are keeping up with life’s pace. Is the cruise control on? Are you coasting? Ensure that you are not “drifting” through life.
  • 5th Gear – No one can run at full speed all the time. There are two extremes that fall here. Those who are always in it, and those who never use it. The first group eventually burns out. Running at full capacity all the time leads to burn out. If you don’t pit stop on your own, life has a way of forcing you to take a break. And the second group? Well, they never reach their full potential because they never truly give it their all.

Shift Your Life

Maybe you need to speed up. (There is only one today.)

Maybe you need to slow down. (Otherwise, you will burn out.)

Perhaps, you are even headed backwards.

Check your gear today. And get your life moving.

Question: What gear is your life in? Do you need to adjust?

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Category: Goals/Motivation
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  • http://exciramedia.com/ Shannon Steffen

    Thanks so much, Craig!

    I would have said that I was on automatic but you called me out on it before I had a chance!

    “But, I drive an automatic… I don’t even know how many gears I have.”

    I’ve been driving on automatic so long that I’ve been shifting gears every other minute. I’ve completed burned out my engine and don’t even have a map as to where I’m trying to go.

    However, today is a new day and it’s time to speed up and finally have direction. Thanks for the call out!

    Irish smiles!

  • http://www.productivegrad.com/ Vito M

    Love the comment about the dangers of 5th Gear.

    I know for a while that I was “burning the candle at both ends,” and lost an unhealthy amount of weight as a result (I was 155 lbs to start).

    To use your analogy, I start my day in 1st or 2nd gear with the goal of making it to 5th for a few hours in the afternoon when I’m at my peak energy. The evenings, however, are my time to ‘gear-down’ and enjoy the time with my wife.

    However, it’s always frustrating to watch others who don’t even know how to shift.

    Thanks for the booster, Craig!

  • http://tcavey.blogspot.com/ TCAvey

    hmmm…I’m moving forward and I’m not cruising but I don’t think I’m in 5th gear either.  Not really sure but there is definitely progress in my life.

    Good analogy.

    • http://www.timemanagementninja.com/ Craig Jarrow

      Sometimes by pushing ourselves, we discover that we don’t know our own limits. :)

      • http://tcavey.blogspot.com/ TCAvey

        That is so true!

  • http://www.productivesuperdad.com/ Timo Kiander

    Craig,

    This is a great analogy of what you are using!

    I guess it was Dave Navarro who talked about using a clutch if you want to shift to a bigger gear (thus go faster).

    This “clutch” could for example hiring a coach, if you want to improve your business or athletic performance. Otherwise you are stuck on the gear and you are not making as much progress as you would like to. 

    Cheers,
    Timo