An unplanned break is really a strategic move for better

I’ve been publishing a blog for the best part of two years. Each week I’ve written something new linked to coaching, NLP and hypnosis. I’ve enjoyed the process. Importantly, it’s really got me thinking about the work that I do. Additionally, I’ve had to plan for those times when I’ve been away or when I’ve known I’m going to be busy. Consequently, week after week, I’ve managed to get the blog out there. Until the last few weeks. I’ve been away. I’ve been very busy. Suddenly, it’s been no blog for four weeks. Crucially, I’m taking this as a positive, because an unplanned break is really a strategic move for better.

Let me explain. I made a plan. I set a goal. The goal was, and still is, to publish a weekly blog. From 2^nd September 2024 to 22^nd June 2026 I achieved this. Firstly, I was, and I still am, very motivated. Secondly, I was able to plan for times when I was away, scheduling blogs sometimes weeks in advance. Thirdly, I had an idea of what I wanted to cover.

That’s an interesting point. Initially, I was a little hit and miss. Eventually, I found my stride. Hopefully, it shows in all that I have written. Additionally, I was able to change the plan, adding new things.

I’m writing this blog a few days in advance, ready for Monday, publication day, 20^th July 2026. I’ve just come back from another weekend away. I sat on the train, thinking about the blog and the gap in publication. Curiously, I found myself wondering if I wanted to restart after something of a gap. And then, I realised. This, I thought, is the perfect metaphor.

Again, let me explain. You have a plan. Next, you create the goal. Importantly, you start to take action. It all feels very positive. Seemingly, you have created some sort of momentum. Amazingly, you’re making progress.

And then, something happens. You miss a day. You stop for a moment. A day becomes two. A moment lasts longer. This, sadly, is when you give up. You wonder what the point is if motivation is so fickle. How, you ask yourself, are you ever going to sustain change if it’s so easy to stop and go backwards?

This is the reason that you start diets, exercise plans, job searches, new hobbies, new relationships, new ideas. And this is the reason that you stop and give up. It’s about absolutes. You’re either succeeding or you’re not. Essentially, you’re only succeeding if you’re making constant, linear progress. Realistically, life is just not like that.

Honestly, life is all about starts and stops. Progress is uneven, sometimes minimal. You can have a great day and gets loads done. The next day everything is just too much. Few of us are in charge of everything so some delays are out of our control.

The only failure is giving up. Even then, as NLP tells us, there is no failure, only feedback. So, if you stop and don’t restart, it means it wasn’t that important to you. Don’t pretend otherwise. If you find yourself saying “I’d love to do that but…”, you’re only kidding yourself. Remember that.

So, here I am again. After a four-week break, I am back at it. The blog is back every Monday. I’ve really enjoyed the break, catching up with friends and family. And almost all of it on the train, which has been lovely.

Above all else, I’ve missed the challenge of getting the blog ready each week. I’ve realised how much I actually enjoy the writing. The motivation is still strong within me.

So, if you realise that you’ve let your goals and plans slip, get yourself back on track. If you know what to do, do it now. However, if you’re not sure, book an initial consultation here, and then take the next step. You know that you can do it, and you know that it makes sense, don’t you?