The secret to achieving your goals can be no more elusive than searching for your keys in the dark – the point is it isn’t easy. Goals are a benchmark we set when we feel we haven’t yet reached a point in our life, naturally they have to challenge us to be worthy of a benchmark. When achieved, goals are the thing you tweet about, post a triumphant status update about and the kind of topic you drop into a social conversation. Advice from Forbes blogger Molly Cain of Glass Heel and an accumulation of conversations with industry professionals we’ve put together in no particular order things to consider when achieving a goal.
Find something you’re passionate about
The more passionate you are about something the easier it is to be motivated to achieve a goal. Your passion should be true to yourself and free of extravagant unnecessary details. If you’re passionate about bees, be passionate about bees, if you have a particular interest in cats then let that passion thrive – you get the picture. A goal first and foremost should be important to you.
Create a visual reminder of what you want to achieve
You don’t have to channel Picasso to get creative with your goals, invest in a pin board and print out a few photos related to your goal, quotes are also great to motivate and inspire you towards your goal. Change your board every few weeks, as creatures of habit you don’t want your board of inspiration to blend into the wall paper, keep things fresh as you develop and grow.
Create a smaller goal to help encourage you towards your major goal
Let’s face it, some nights motivation strikes and suddenly we’re YouTubing videos on how to master the translation of hieroglyphics Be realistic. If you set your goals too high, you’ll never be encouraged to get there. Believe it or not every successful person will say, baby steps get you places. It’s important to be daring but balance out those big dreams with smaller victories. The main thing standing in the way of your goals – as cliché as it sounds – is you.
Speak to people who have achieved a similar goal to you for inspiration
People are inspiring so get chatting! The best advice will always come from someone who has previously been in your shoes. Remember good advice isn’t always the advice you want to hear, be sure to listen to people’s achievements and downfalls. Learning from other’s mistakes is always more bearable than making them yourself. Don’t be shy to repay the favour one day for someone else as well. Join a community to keep in touch with people like a forum or blog and keep the conversation going.
Be proactive
It’s the most over used line in the book but it’s a good one. A good thing rarely just falls in your lap, you have to go out there and work for it, work hard for it. The best thing you can do to achieve your goal is to start now. Any energy you contribute to your goal is a step closer than you were before and often enough what you begin wanting will adapt and grow into something even better.
Having a goal is exciting so treat it like an adventure. At the very least goals encourage you to learn about yourself and the world and if you stay determined you will achieve what you set out to do. What goal have you set for yourself lately? Let us know on Facebook and keep the conversation going.