Goals help you focus and succeed at aspirations that, before setting clear aims, might have seemed impossible. Creating your goals and following through with them is what will set you and your success apart from those who quit and those who expect to achieve success without trying. Unfortunately, setting goals and sticking with them is great in theory, but is a lot more difficult to actually do. If you’re serious about sticking to your goals, follow some of the advice below.
How to Set Goals and Stick to Them
No matter how big or small your goal is, it needs to be something you’re truly devoted to achieving. Some goals are done out of necessity, like weight loss due to health issues, but even these should be constructed in a way that make them matter to you. So, for example, instead of saying ‘I need to be healthy’, say ‘I need to be healthy so I can be in my children’s lives’. Make your goals personal. Be very clear about why they are important to you and keep this as your motivating force.
One of the most common reasons people fail at sticking with their goals is that they don’t make them realistic or specific enough. It’s hard to stay committed to something if it’s a far-fetched, unrealistic goal. This can be hard because it requires you to really look at yourself and decide what you can accomplish. Sometimes it works best to set smaller goals at first until you can build up to the larger one. And this must be done very specifically.
So, continuing with the weight loss example, instead of focusing on losing 15 pounds, aim to lose five at first. And instead of making the general statement that you’re going to lose weight, be specific about the change you want. State what diet changes you’ll make and what your exercise regime will be for you to lose those five pounds. Before you know it, you’ll be pushing your goal to 10 pounds and then to the larger goal of 15 pounds. This system isn’t just for weight loss. It can be applied to any goal setting, from career to personal.
Once you have a few solid and specific goals, you should write them down or find someone to hold you accountable. Making this commitment to yourself, or to another person, will make you less likely to break your goals. And when making these commitments, use very positive language. Say lots of ‘I will’, ‘I can’, and ‘I want’. These words will help boost your confidence and subconsciously spur you forward.
Now that you have a foundation for your specific goals, you need to carry through with the work you’ve already done and accomplish them! This may seem difficult, but if you put in the work and follow through, you’ll begin to see results. And, most importantly, don’t let disappointment keep you from reaching your goals. Be prepared for a few setbacks, but stay positive.
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