Achieving your goals and dreams is a lifelong pursuit for most people. In fact, many people spend a majority of their time moving through the mundane tasks of each day only to end up with yet another ‘wasted’ day instead of a day in pursuit of their life dreams. What is the difference between someone who achieves their dreams and one who doesn’t? Perhaps it’s in the planning. All people who have achieved success know how to set goals and how to achieve them. If you have a dream and feel that you will never be able to achieve it, think again. Here are three tips that will help to ensure that you are actively in your own success.
Setting purposeful goals does not mean that your life has to be limited. Goals are flexible and individual. Setting a goal and writing down your objectives can include short term tasks or long term tasks that are broken into smaller parts. How can you effectively develop a life plan?
Decide on a Purpose
Decide clearly on what your life goal(s) is. Be practical but goal oriented. Make your goals clear and measurable so you can analyze your success along the way. Be sure that your goals are achievable and realistic, but don’t be afraid to shoot for the moon. As long as your dreams are realistic and you can see progress towards their achievement, you won’t run the risk of becoming unmotivated or losing hope. Instead, use a visual aid of some sort – a poster or marker – showing where you are and where you hope to be. Be sure to demonstrate on your chart all of your successes.
Also, make sure that your list of goals is easily visible to you on a regular basis – hang it in your kitchen or in your car- somewhere that you can’t avoid seeing it. When you see your goals, your brain will be activated by the message and motivated to respond. Don’t hesitate to discuss your goals with other people because this will make you accountable to those around you (which is a great motivator!).
Assign a Timeline/Deadline to Follow
When you assign a time value to your tasks, they aren’t just things to be done ‘sometime’. In fact, as the saying goes, ‘tomorrow never comes’. When you write down your goals, be sure to also write down an expected time of performance as well as a time of completion. If you are unable to meet the goal in the designated time frame, don’t fret. Simply assign a new time frame to your task and continue your efforts.
Don’t Wait! Start Right Away!
Why wait to get started? Don’t put off the inevitable. Beginning and gaining momentum in your new life pursuit will be the most motivating experience of your life. Think about it this way: six months from now, you could be right where you are or you could be six months into your life’s dreams. All it takes is the first step in the right direction.
Changing your life for the better only involves your motivation. Choosing to follow your life’s pursuits is a life changing experience. You only get once chance to accomplish the things you want to in life. Time is the only unexpendable resource – once it’s gone, you can’t earn it back or buy it. So, don’t waste one minute of it. Start today planning for the best possible future you can have. Your dreams are only a plan away!