Why you should not settle for less

Does this story sound familiar to you? As a little girl, you thought you could do anything and become anyone you wanted. You were fearless, bold, and aimed high.

Then somewhere along the way, society started to influence your mindset, putting some limits into your head and making you think that actually, you couldn’t have whatever you wanted.

So you started to dream smaller and think that perhaps you were aiming too high, but today I’m here to help you reclaim your power and stop settling for less.

What does ‘don’t settle for less’ mean?

If you can relate to the story I shared above but never gave a ‘term’ to it, what I described is called settling for less.

What does this mean? ‘Settling for less’ means that even though you have big dreams and ambitions, you decide to take whatever comes along even if it’’s not exactly what you wanted.

It also means that you know you deserve more than what you currently have, but for several reasons, you are content with where you are and don’t fight for what you want.

Please understand I’m not talking about material things as much (even though it can also apply to that), but I’m referring to your lifestyle, being in a place where you feel fulfilled and where your dreams become a reality.

Is settling for less good?

The short answer to this is no, I don’t believe settling for less is good and the consequences in your life will be major if you decide to do so.

Below I’m going to share with you a few reasons why I believe you should not settle for less, and don’t worry, after that, I’m going to get practical as per usual and make sure you’ll have an action plan by the end of this post.

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You don’t get another chance at life

The acronym YOLO (you only live once) is pretty accurate for this point. When you settle for less, you’re deciding that your life is going to go in a certain direction for as long as you’re alive.

Spoiler alert: we won’t get another chance at this, so you absolutely should do everything that’s in your power to live a full life.

You were born with a purpose, for a purpose

I firmly believe that we didn’t stumble on earth by accident, but that every single person that’s walked this earth has a purpose.

I also believe that every day of our life was written before we were even born and that we were created with a purpose to fulfil whilst alive.

I know this may sound a bit abstract, but this beautiful Psalm can give a picture of what I mean.

Ultimately, I think our life is precious and we cannot afford to settle for less than what we’ve been created for. In addition to that, our lives are tied to those of other people, so you never know how the choices you make in your life will impact someone else around you.

You will miss out on opportunities

When we decide to settle for less, we shut the door to incredible opportunities that could come through in our life. I’m talking about life-changing opportunities that would have an impact not only in our lives, but also on the generations after us.

Are you starting to see the bigger picture? I think nothing would motivate me more than knowing that my choices will have a direct impact on those coming after me.

You won’t find satisfaction in life

I’m sorry to be the one to share this harsh truth, but when you choose to settle for less, you’re signing up for a miserable life.

That’s because every part of your being will be shouting that you’re meant for more, but the reality of your life will be different, and these two elements will be clashing every day, reminding you that you have chosen that life.

It will affect your wellbeing

Tied to the point above, I also think that to truly be healthy – mentally, physically, and emotionally, we need to be in alignment with our purpose.

Settling for less will mean that you’re out of that alignment, and for that reason, your wellbeing will be affected, not in a positive way.

But it’s not all gloom and doom! There are things that you can start implementing to stop settling for less and build a fulfilled life, so keep reading.

How to stop settling for less

Practice affirmations

This is not going to be anything ‘woo-woo’, I promise. I believe the first step to stop settling for less is to change your mindset and affirm positive truths in your life.

You need to do this to eliminate the negative thought patterns and limiting beliefs that have been with you for longer than you can remember.

I recommend you do this once a day, ideally before you start your day, and try saying things like:

“I have a purpose”

“I deserve more”

“I choose to live a fulfilled life”

“I can build the life of my dreams”

Start dreaming again

Alongside practising affirmations, you simply need to start dreaming again. Try to remember how you used to dream when you were a child, and bring that back into your life.

What would you do if you could do anything? If money, time, and resources weren’t an issue? Where would you like to be in the next season of your life?

Dreaming has the power to open your mind and allow you to see beyond what you can see with your physical eyes, so don’t skip this step!

Write the vision

To avoid forgetting it, or worse, deciding that dreaming was a waste of your time, it’s important to write down your vision, aka your dream.

I don’t know about you but I always found writing things down a very powerful way to remember things and make them more real.

Make it practical

Once you’ve completed the step above, you need to move onto the practical stage. Think about these questions to make your dream possible, and write down the answers:

How can you break down your dream into realistic and achievable steps?
What do you need to stop/start doing to move forward with your plan?
Do you need to seek someone’s help to make your vision a reality?
How will you stay accountable and keep track of your progress?
How will you face and handle challenges along the way?

Answering these questions will help you to take action and move towards your dream life.

Be consistent

This is probably the hardest, yet most essential step. On this journey, there will be many moments when you might contemplate quitting. Things will get challenging, you may have to change plans, and the process won’t always look like a straight line.

However, to truly be successful and stop settling for less, you’ll need to be consistent. Don’t give up, no matter the challenges. Remember your vision and why you’re doing what you’re doing, and remember the great purpose attached to your life.

Don’t settle for less quotes

I’m sharing these quotes in the hope that they’ll inspire you to desire and pursue more in your life.

“The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for.” – Anonymous

“If you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives.” – Vince Lombardi

“There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela

“There is a monumental difference between being alive and living. You should never settle for the first.” ― Matt Corby

“One day you will wake up and be so glad you did not settle. You will be so glad you did not give up. You will be so glad you did not sync yourself to someone else’s pace and you chose instead to anchor yourself in the steady rhythm of grace.” — Morgan Harper Nichols

“I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start over again.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Be grateful for all you do already have. But never settle for less than you can be.” – Unknown

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