Most people who set goals fail to follow through with them. Good news, there’s a better way. Here’s how to approach goals in a way that makes you way more likely to actually achieve them. (Go you!)Â
My husband says, “The secret to life is quests.”Â
Quest- a journey toward a specific mission or a goal.Â
I agree with him! I’m usually happiest and healthiest when taking intentional action every day toward the future I envision. Goals can make us feel purposeful and hopeful for the future. They often require personal growth. When we have something we are working towards, it makes us feel connected to something bigger.Â
These are all incredibly powerful and positive things goals can do for us. Despite this, well-intentioned people often set goals, yet few follow through. Most dreams and pursuits end up abandoned and forgotten.
How can you be one of the few who actually accomplishes your goals? Set the right goals, quit the myth of motivation, lighten up and have fun, and rally support from accountability partners and friends. These techniques will help you remain dedicated to your goals instead of abandoning them.
How to Achieve Your Goals
Start with the Right Goals
Commitment to your goals requires starting with goals that matter to you. Goals should focus on the overall feeling you want to achieve. Many people have the desire to lose weight. The outcome people are idealizing is that they’ll finally be happier, healthier, feel sexy, be confident, or get the relationship they want when they lose weight. Toss the weight loss goal to the curb. It’s not the genuine desire. Discern the true longing and have that be your goal. For example, “Be confident.” or “Find meaningful relationships.”Â
You’re way more likely to be dedicated to your goals if you start with goals that undeniably matter to you. Next, break down the goal into actionable steps you can take to achieve the desired outcome. Learn how to set better goals here.
Quit the Myth of Motivation
The myth of motivation is where most people go wrong. People wait for motivation before they take action. They believe motivation will magically show up if they wait long enough. Motivation is a fickle friend; there’s no guarantee if or when it will grace you with its presence. This is why having the right goal matters.Â
The right goal is worth pursuing, even when motivation is nowhere to be found. For the right destination, one that TRULY matters to your core, you’ll make an effort and try, regardless of motivation. When in doubt, I like to live by Emily P. Freeman’s rule of doing “the next right thing” to take me in the direction I want.Â
When it comes to goal completion, you cannot wait for motivation. You must be willing to force yourself to do the work your goal requires, whether or not you feel motivated. Motivation is elusive- it won’t be consistently present whenever you need to take action. So start with the right goals, focus on doing the next right thing, and make progress.Â
Great news- motivation often comes after we begin. It’s called “flow.” Flow is the mental state in which a person performing an activity becomes fully immersed in it. During flow, you feel energized, focused, fully involved, and enjoyment in the process. Flow usually appears when we spend 20 minutes or more working on something. So quit the myth of motivation. Don’t wait for inspiration to come to you. Work towards your goal and let motivation aid you when it does materialize.
Lighten Up and Have Fun
Big dreams take a long time to attain. If you’re a visionary like me, your gift of seeing the glorious potential the future may hold is also your burden because it takes so long to bring big visions to life. Choose whichever cliche you prefer- “embrace the journey,” “find joy in imperfection,” or “progress over perfection” because you’re going to need some patience during the process of achieving your goal.Â
Your mental health and life fulfillment are just as valuable now, during the journey, as they will be after you accomplish your goal. Have some fun along the way, don’t take your plan or yourself too seriously, don’t hold yourself to a standard of perfection, and celebrate your progress along the way! These habits will be crucial to your persistence in reaching your goal.Â
Be Willing to Pivot
Hold your plans with an open palm, not a closed fist. In this blog post, I talked about the illusion of control and how it can mess with your goals. You can’t control everything all the time. It’s not healthy or enjoyable to try to. Life will often throw us obstacles, speed bumps, and curve balls along our path. We must be willing to pivot when necessary.
The goal you start with might become irrelevant, unimportant, or unreasonable throughout your journey. Things like accidents, trauma, and even positive changes in life circumstances can render our goals immaterial. Be willing to pivot when it’s necessary or helpful. You may need to adjust and find a new path to achieve your goal. You may find that a goal no longer matters to you the way it used to. You may feel deeply connected to your goal but unable to work on it at the present moment. All of these things are okay. Pivot when it serves your current and future self better than sticking to your old plan.
Rally Support
Accountability partners and people who will celebrate your progress with you can make all the difference in your goal’s outcome. Find someone with similar goals or direction as you to be your accountability partner and have monthly or twice monthly meetings with them. Rally your friends together; they can encourage you along your way.
Some people create blogs or youtube channels as their virtual way of holding themselves accountable. I love that approach but value in-person, encouraging, motivating lunch dates with a close friend for my approach to accountability. You can ask a friend, hire a coach, work with a counselor, or find a mentor. Having someone who regularly checks in on your action steps, calls you out when you let goals fall by the wayside, or lifts you up when you’re feeling defeated is invaluable in achieving your goals.
Implement these techniques, and you will see progress toward achieving your goals! You are capable and resilient. You can turn the extraordinary vision you have for your life into reality. Be one of the few that actually achieves your goals instead of quitting them. I can’t wait to see what you do with these techniques.
Happy goal-getting!
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