In order to reach your goals, it’s important to remain dedicated to working toward them, even when life gets in the way
Here are five strategies you can use to stay focused and on track, whether you’re trying to quit smoking, write your first novel or pay off your mortgage in under 10 years.
1) Define Your Goal: Importance of writing down the goals
Setting a goal and working to accomplish it is one of the best ways you can take control of your life. It may be tough at first, but if you stay motivated and disciplined, you will reach your goal with time. Here are five ways to keep working toward your goals:
- Write down the benefits of achieving your goal. This will show you what is waiting for you when you finally get there.
- Be accountable with someone else or with yourself (i.e., set reminders in a calendar). This way, if ever it gets too difficult, there is someone or something reminding you of why this is important
- Break up your big goal into smaller tasks that are more manageable and less overwhelming
2) Set a deadline
It’s easy to get discouraged and quit when you’re working toward a long-term goal. But there are some ways to keep yourself motivated, even when the going gets tough:
1) Set short-term goals along the way. While it’s important that you have an end date in mind, shorter terms goals can help motivate you and give you something tangible to work toward. 2) Take time for yourself. When we’re stressed or feeling down, it’s easy to neglect ourselves by taking a break from our responsibilities for a little while. It doesn’t have to be long, just take some time for yourself where you can relax and recharge your batteries so that you’ll be ready for your next challenge. 3) Surround yourself with supportive people.
3) Importance of creating a plan
1) Break your goal into parts that are manageable and that take into account the time of year.
2) Create a plan for how you’re going to achieve each part of the goal.
3) Track your progress and break down what went right or wrong in order to learn from it.
4) Reward yourself when you reach milestones along the way.
5) Don’t give up!
4) Get an accountability partner
- Celebrate the small wins
- Write out your goals and review them often
- Break down your tasks into manageable, achievable steps
- Reward yourself when you reach milestones, big or small
- Surround yourself with people who believe in you and support your goals If you’re looking for accountability partners, get one or more of the following: a friend; a coach; an online community; a therapist; and/or someone at work who is supportive of your ambitions. You can even have multiple partners for different reasons if you feel it would help (i.e., having a therapist to talk about your feelings as well as a coach). The point is that it’s important to find people in your life who will hold you accountable for getting back on track if you falter.
5) Celebrate your progress: Take a break
It’s easy to get down on yourself when you’re not reaching your goals, but it’s important to celebrate the progress you’re making. Even if you don’t realize it, you are always making progress because there is always room for improvement. Don’t be afraid to take a break from your goal for a day or two and focus on the progress you’ve made and what that means for the future. It’ll help motivate you and give you more energy!
