By Konstantina Kerpinioti,
New year, new dreams, new goals…
The beginning of each new year inspires many people to set new goals or even to fulfill a goal that they have not achieved before. However, this strong desire to achieve goals can provoke both positive and negative emotions, such as joy, stress, and psychological pressure.
Therefore, I considered it necessary to mention some tips which will help every person who sets goals not only to achieve them but also to handle negative feelings and be calmer in the effort one makes to succeed.
So, some tips that will help you to achieve your goals are the following:
- Write down your goals: It is important to write down your goals on a piece of paper because this action makes your goal real and tangible. The act of putting down your objectives pushes your subconscious mind to embrace your commitment to working toward them. You must not forget that the time you write down your goal, you have to use only the word “will” in order to make a statement. This step will motivate you to achieve whatever you want. On the contrary, words like “would like to” or “might” make success to be just a single possibility and do not provide you with certainty. Also, it is highly recommended to write your goal every morning so as to stay focused on it.
- Choose goals that inspire you: Set goals that stem only from your own desire and do not think about what your family or friends want you to do. If you set a goal about something that you are interested in, then it is more likely for you to achieve it. Furthermore, set goals that are related to the high priorities in your life. Without this type of focus, you can end up with far too many goals, leaving too little time to devote to each one.
- Set attainable goals: Under no circumstances should you set goals that are too easy, because this way of thinking will make you be afraid of getting more difficult and risking goals in the future. Nevertheless, you should keep a balance and set not easy but realistic goals. There is no point in trying to achieve something impossible as you will only discourage yourself.
- Set specific goals: You should know exactly what you want and strive to make your desires a reality.
- Make an action plan: If you want to achieve your goals, you have to plan your actions. In particular, write down some steps that you will follow so as to reach success.
- Set a deadline: Set a target day by which you will complete your goal. If your goal takes too long, break it down into smaller steps and set a specific deadline for each separate step. Write down these days into your diary or computerized planner.
- Work on your mindset – No more negativity: Should you want to achieve your goal, you need to adopt positive thinking and attitude towards life. A positive attitude will provide you with more strength and energy for the achievement of your goal. In case negative thoughts dominate your mind, it will be difficult even impossible for you to enhance your self-esteem and focus on your goal. Whatever doubt starts to creep into your mind, swat it away. Read inspirational books and believe in yourself. Work on your own attitude at every opportunity. This should remain a lifelong process.
- Develop your skillset: You need to understand what kind of skills are required for your goals and develop them so you can achieve the goals you have set.
- Be proactive: Stop waiting for the “appropriate time” to come. Conditions will never be perfect, so stop procrastinating. I strongly believe that taking the first step is the most complicated process; however, if you manage to take this step, you will be close enough to success.
- Get help: If it is necessary, you should seek advice from a close to you personally, be it someone who specializes in the field of achieving goals or someone more intimate and close to you (i.e., family, friends).
- Track your progress: You should devote time to evaluate your effort and see how close you have reached your goal.
- Embrace failure: You should figure out that failing is normal. If you do not fail, it means that you do not try at all. Success comes after failure. What you have to do is to learn from your mistakes and be more focused on your goal.
- Reward yourself: When you have completed your objective, it is crucial to congratulate yourself on your accomplishment. This will teach the subconscious mind to concentrate on tasks that yield positive consequences. After all these steps, set your next goal and repeat the process!
Taking everything into consideration, you can achieve whatever you set as a goal as long as you are organized and mainly believe in it. Of course, achieving your goals is not always just a simple case, but when you are stubborn and determined, you can do it!
References
- Seven simple steps to achieving your goals, virgin.com, Available here
- Golden Rules of Goal Setting, mindtools.com, Available here
- 10 Ways To Achieve Your Life Goals, realbuzz.com, Available here
