How to Fix that Internal Skip

By Qumram Taj, guest blogger

In the days before CD's and MP3's we had vinyl records.  Considering that the technology that makes a record work is a stylus running along a tiny groove etched into a vinyl disk, the truly excellent sound it produces is amazing.  In fact, thanks in large part to audiophiles the world over, this technology has not disappeared and it shows no sign of fading anytime soon.

The old-style record with concentric grooves moving the needle arm and stylus imperceptibly forward with each new turn made me think of the many cycles in everyone's lifetime.  If you walk a circle you will arrive right back where you started.  By contrast a life cycle may follow a regular pattern but you arrive at a slightly more advanced place each time the pattern is run.  The whole idea behind this natural progression is that you find yourself moving toward your goals, gradually realizing your hopes and dreams along the way. 


Vinyl records have one flaw that is the audio equivalent of driving bamboo splinters under the fingernails.  You're surfing the musical waves of a favorite tune, lost in the emotions only a beautiful song can inspire, when you hear a single clicking sound and the last few words are repeated over and over and over again!  You have no choice but to gently nudge the delicate needle to make the song continue.  Settling back into your sweet reverie you return to the pleasure only your beloved records can give.  Just then you hear that click…

Not infrequently we hit a point where, like our vinyl record, life seems to “skip.”  We may find ourselves repeating actions that keep us from making forward progress.  Instead of following a growth cycle we're stuck in a circular one, going right back to where we started over and over again!  What can you do to fix that “skip” and return to a progressive growth cycle? 

  • Make incremental improvements.  Making small, regular adjustments over time wins the day 9 out of 10 times.  This is a sure way to solve your “skipping” problem and a time-tested recipe for achievement.
  • Be your own cheerleader!  The idea here is not to artificially inflate your ego or tell yourself pretty lies.  Instead, allow yourself to make mistakes and be fully human (frailties and flaws included.)  Avoid critical self-talk.  Pick yourself up when you stumble and be your biggest fan.
  • Compete with yourself.  Use your own previous accomplishments as the new standard to beat.  Outperforming yourself is a terrific way to set achievable goals, build confidence and create a tradition of success.


The measure of a successful life is not the absence of challenges, it is how we deal with those challenges.  CONGRATULATIONS!  You have taken all that life has thrown at you and you're still standing!  Now treat yourself to a life free of those pesky “skips!”