You dream about a life of fulfillment, passion, or adventure. So what are you waiting for? Dreams don’t happen on their own—they require a plan. Your plan. Living the life you want starts with measurable goals; think of them as the steps necessary to achieve your dreams. Once you start taking those steps, you’ll ultimately live the life you’ve always wanted.
But how do you get started? Take these steps to achieve your long-term goals.
Set your goal: and focus on nothing else! Have you established exactly what you want out of life in specific, manageable terms? We all have dreams, but turning them into goals is all about crafting dreams into a do-able plan. Have you mapped out what it’s going to take? Have you thought about what needs to be done first?
Believe in yourself. Confidence is key to getting what you want, but for many of us, it’s easier said than done. Write down your goal, and repeat it to yourself. Devise a mantra to say over and over. Repeat it while you are driving in the car, getting ready in the morning, or anytime you find yourself alone with your thoughts. The power of positive thinking is amazing, and gets results.
Give yourself some credit. It’s important to stay motivated, and one great way to do that is to mark your successes. Journaling is an effective way to do this, as can sharing the successes with friends and families. There’s nothing wrong with patting yourself on the back – it works wonders in keeping you moving forward, especially when you’re having a down day.
Visualize the end. Can you imagine what it will be like when you’ve achieved your goals and are living your dream? Think about it. Write it down. Close your eyes. See it. Visualization is time-tested way to stay on track.
Finish what you started. We may recall getting this advice as a child. Guess what? Our parents were right! Goal achievement must be broken into steps. As you make those steps, complete what is necessary. Don’t take shortcuts, and don’t wait for things to finish themselves. You can do this!
Understand that things won’t happen overnight. Be patient. As you work toward you goal, you will encounter hurdles. You will have setbacks. These are normal and helpful. Accepting that these things take time will help you stay focused and not get frustrated. Good things truly do come to those who wait…and work for them!
Get ready to get to work! You can dream all you’d like, but you won’t achieve your goal unless you dig in and work for it! It will take time, effort, and doing on your part. As much as we’d like goal achievement to be as easy as winning the lottery, that’s not how it works. Do something every single day that will get you closer to that goal.
Don’t muddy the water. As you strive to meet your goal, don’t be distracted by new ideas and takes on your goal. Many of us are easily distracted or bored, and shifting the goal, or complicating it, is normal. Stay the course!
Know your shortcomings. We all have tendencies to stand in the way of their own goals, but recognizing your self-sabotage will help you change your habits. Do you procrastinate? Are you over-sensitive? Arrogant? Once you know your weakness, you can offset them with your personality strengths.
