Kevin Bemel ·
Conquer This Obstacle and You’re Sure to Succeed
How to Crush Your Biggest Transition Challenge
2 minutes to read
Where do you want to triumph this year? Among the big three of health, finances, and family, which is most urgent? You want to pick all three, don’t you? I get it. How can you say you want to make your health your top focus? Isn’t family the most important? They bore so much neglect when you were on active duty. Are you going to prioritize your career over them now? Your mind tells you one thing. Your heart draws another conclusion.
You Cannot Have Multiple Priorities
Though I left active duty in 2012, I went back on long-term orders during 2013 and most of 2014-2015. Each time my business training veterans to find high-paying jobs suffered. At the end of 2015, I had to make a choice. Was I going to take orders and continue helping active-duty shipmates? Or should I to commit to my business?
My heart pulled me both ways. My head was equally undecided. After weighing the short versus long-term consequences of each option and the impact on my health and family I opted for my business.
That decision did more than set a career path. It united mind and heart.
Fortunately, my health is good. But my family takes a hit. I can’t homeschool my daughter. My wife and I don’t have weekly dates as often. I’m away from home more.
I could pretend to have two or three priorities. But that’s the same as not having a priority. You have to sacrifice to conquer this obstacle.
Conquer Fogginess First
If you want to triumphantly reintegrate into civilian life, you’ll have to align your heart and mind to crush your lack of focus.
You know your health and fitness undergird everything. Compare how you look now to a picture of you in uniform. Try on your uniform. Give yourself a physical readiness test. If you’ve forgotten the standards you can find them online.
Are you noticeably heavier? Can you pass the test? If you answered no to either of these questions you have your priority for this year. Accept that finances and family will take a hit.
If health isn’t your issue, examine your finances. Are you living paycheck to paycheck? Are you putting money away each month for a rainy day fund? If you don’t have a pension, are you investing for retirement? If you answered no to any of these questions, your priority is finances. Sit down with your family and talk about sacrifices for the coming year.
If both of health and finances are good, you can focus on family.
Now, Identify the main change you need to make. The foundation of good health rests on proper sleep, diet, and exercise. Stronger finances require a better job or starting your own business. Durable family life means developing your interpersonal skills and investing time in relationships.
Your biggest transition challenge comes from a lack of clarity. Crush the vagueness. If necessary. deal with the impact on your family. Now relentlessly pursue your priority.
Which of the big three is your priority this year?
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