How to become smoke free: My journey, trials, failures and successes - Part 3 - misinterpretation

Submitted by Wheezy on

There is definitely a knack to getting across the message you want people to take away and apparently, it isn't one I have!

Today I had 2 meetings almost back to back, so whilst I was waiting for the extra people to arrive for the second one I made the comment "I'll just nip outside."

There were 3 people there who immediately said "But I thought you were quitting."

I know these blogs are entitled "How to become smoke free" and the end goal is to become smoke free, but hopefully if you read the Introduction blog (https://www.rachaelandtom.info/content/how-become-smoke-free-my-journey…) you will remember my very first line "My dream is to become and remain smoke free. I'm not there yet,I am still working towards this goal. " Please can I draw your attention to one particular bit.... "I am still working towards this goal."

This goal, may be in a few weeks, in a few months or possibly even in a few years (although I hope it will be before then). I really don't want rewrite the whole of the introduction blog again as this covers how I hope the blogs will help me (and others) as well as what I'll be covering, so please if you thought I am already trying to "quit" then please re-read the introduction blog which you can find here https://www.rachaelandtom.info/content/how-become-smoke-free-my-journey…

For people who travelling this journey with me, my response to these people was something along the lines of:
Yes that's the end goal
No I'm not there yet
Yes I will get there
No I don't know when!

Just because people have misunderstood what you said, or how you phrased something, please don't let it put you off your end goal. Try explaining in a different way what you are actually doing to work towards your end goal and more to the point, just because a few people misunderstood, don't let that divert you from the path you have chosen.

Keep going and in the end you will succeed.

I'm not sure if this is a famous quote or something I've heard around my networking meetings, but I think it fits with today's blog:

If at first you don't succeed, try try again. There is only you who knows which route you've chosen so don't let others send you off that path at right angles, stick to your heart and your dream.