“It is goals that keep me going” ~Muhammad Ali
You can go through the biographies and autobiographies of all the people that you put in the category of “achievers” and you will notice one thing that is common for all these people.
They all set goals and managed to achieve them. So at the end of the day, knowing how to achieve your seemingly impossible goals is not something ‘superhuman’. It is very much possible.
There are no shortcuts, there is no easy way out but the good news is that there is a method. If you have certain ambitions that give you the motivation to wake up every morning, then congratulations, you are on your way to success.
Personally, knowing that there is something new to look forward to each day is what helps me realize that I am getting closer to my goals.
From various situations and hurdles that I have experience through my journey towards my goals, I have narrowed down on 4 simple rules that make sure I don’t give up half way.
Be Disciplined
Discipline is said to be the only bridge between a goal and the actual accomplishment. Many motivational speakers and ‘life skills’ gurus will tell you how a vision chart will keep you going and how to achieve your goals by making a list of goals and reviewing it each day to get closer.
Well, as fun as it is to make collages and put them up on walls and cupboards, they are pretty useless if your mission lacks discipline.
Think about it: if you are not actually doing something about your goals, there will come a day ten years after you made that amazing vision chart when you wake up and find that you have not accomplished anything.
Now, that is frustrating and highly de-motivating.
Instead, give yourself a routine towards your goals. If your goal is to write a book, set aside time everyday to write at least one page.
Whether you use it in your book or not is not important, you will have your mind working in a focused direction.
If you feel totally uninspired to write, it is alright; take that time to read something or study something useful for your book. Like they say, even slow progress is still progress!
This principle can be applied to almost anything. Unless you dedicate time to a goal, no chart is going to help you.
Achieve Realistic Goals First
Set realistic goals keeping your situation in mind. For instance, if your goal is to buy a Lamborghini, start with a humble Holden or a Volkswagen.
It does not mean that you will never get to the Lamborghini but you make a start with a Volkswagen if that is what you can afford. So, although your “Big picture” is the ultimate goal, start off by accomplishing sun goals to stay motivated.
Break down a goal into steps that you think you can achieve in the near future. As you work towards smaller goals, you will become alert to opportunities that lead to the bigger picture and tell you how to achieve your goals.
Set Deadlines
Breaking down goals is a great step. But, with each small step comes a deadline. Set deadlines for your goals and try as hard as you can to meet them. Yes, you will find many situations when something does not happen exactly when you want to.
However, if you do manage to achieve one goal in the time that you have set for yourself, you will find an inner voice that will irk you to maintain that ‘track record’.
Also, keeping a deadline will give you a sense of fulfillment and will make sure that you remain motivated. Without a deadline, you will not even know where to begin.
Review Your Actions
As you take steps towards your goals, be aware of your accomplishments. Know what you have achieved and remember the lessons you have learned.
Reviewing goals does not mean gloating about your achievements but understanding how all the contacts and sources that you have attained in the process will give you a helping hand towards the main picture.
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Ultimately, everyone has their own method to this madness. The important thing is to find methods that will work for you.
A lot of people do not achieve goals not because they do not know how to do so but simply because they give up too soon.
Like Tony Robbins said,
“People are not lazy; they simply have impotent goals — that is, goals that do not inspire them.”
Have you achieved some goals lately? Share your story below!
Image by eflon.
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