Have you ever stopped to think about the future and found yourself wondering what it would be like to fulfill your dreams? Well then! It is completely plausible to achieve these goals, whatever they are: participate in a marathon, write a book, learn to play an instrument or have a successful career… Just start reading the tips in this article!
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Creating Good Habits
Step 1. Focus on positive behaviors rather than avoiding negative ones
Everyone has certain bad habits that they would like to overcome, but don't waste your time: focus on incorporating more positive habits into your daily life. You will end up moving away from the negatives little by little naturally. See some examples:
- Imagine you want to embrace vegetarianism. Don't think "I have to stop eating meat", but start preparing meals based on plants and other products.
- Now, imagine you want to play less video games and be able to exercise more. Don't keep counting the hours you spend with the joystick in hand, but schedule times to train and accomplish your goal.
Step 2. Cast away all temptations that lead to bad habits
It's hard to maintain any new habits, especially when the old ones are so accessible. So, go through your home and workplace and take out anything that might generate temptation. Even change your routine if necessary! Look:
- At home, get rid of anything unhealthy in the fridge and disassemble and put away the video game device.
- At work, put your cell phone on silent so you don't get distracted all the time, or use an app that blocks certain websites during work hours.
Step 3. Distribute positive visual reminders around the area
On the one hand, certain temptations can cause you to repeat bad habits; on the other hand, spreading visual reminders of motivation helps to cultivate positive habits! Spread some around your circulation locations. Here are some ideas:
- Place your gym clothes on the bed or in another conspicuous location.
- Turn on your notebook and open a Word document to start writing.
- Place healthy foods in front of refrigerator shelves where they are most accessible.
- Put your musical instrument on the table for a little practice.
Step 4. Think of ways to stick to your new habit
You'll have a much better chance of getting what you want if you think of ways to stick with the process. Try one or more of the techniques below:
- Ask someone to keep an eye on you.
- Explain your purpose to those close to you.
- Enroll in courses or activities that relate to your goal.
- Report your progress on social media.
Step 5. Reward your effort to stick to new habits
You will be much more motivated if there is some kind of reward. Most positive habits have long-term benefits, but it is precisely this expectation that turns so many people off. So, think of some way to reward yourself when it's all over.
For example, play 15 minutes of video games after each training session or order a healthy delivery at the end of the week when you've been training every day
Method 2 of 4: Taking the First Steps
Step 1. Set specific, measurable goals.
First define what you want to do; then think about how you will measure your progress; and, finally, also set a time period for accomplishing this objective. The whole process will be much easier. See examples:
- Imagine your goal is to lose 20 pounds. Start stepping on the scales once a week to monitor your weight gradually and commit to achieving the final result within a year.
- Now, imagine you want to create a YouTube channel. Try to post one new video per week and track the number of views according to post frequency.
Tip:
be flexible about this time frame and monitoring your progress. You will run into obstacles and may be forced to make some adjustments.
Step 2. Break down your overall goal into smaller steps
It's hard to accomplish a goal all at once, especially when it's ambitious. Identify the steps needed to get where you want to go, put everything on a list according to their order of importance, and cross off one by one. Look:
- Imagine you want to write a book. Divide this goal into the following steps: plot planning; organization of the general structure of the book; creation of the first sketch; seeking feedback; content review; creation of the final manuscript.
- Now, imagine you want to redecorate your room. Start like this: choose a theme; choose colors; paint the walls; buy furniture and decorative objects; decide what will stay in each corner.
Step 3. Take a simpler step towards the overall goal
Even getting started can be difficult, especially when you don't know what it's going to be like to cross the finish line. Don't worry about the result right away: roll up your sleeves and take the first step, even if you dedicate only 15 or 30 minutes to this task. Some examples:
- Imagine you want to learn to play the guitar. Start by memorizing the chord names and trying to get your hands in the right position for 15 minutes.
- Now, imagine your goal is to tinker with pottery. Start by familiarizing yourself with the instruments and playing with some clay for 15 minutes.
Step 4. Get out of your comfort zone
Don't be afraid to try new things! You will only grow as a person if you leave your comfort zone. Make that list of everything you need to do to reach your goal and cross off one item at a time. Check it out:
- Imagine you want to be a professional singer. List items such as: singing at karaoke, auditioning for local theater productions, posting your performance on social media, and taking singing lessons.
- Now imagine your goal is to climb a mountain. Add to the list: mountain climbing in a professional studio, jogging in the local park, and weightlifting with a friend.
Step 5. Don't compare yourself to other people
It's okay to want to compare your progress to others, but that doesn't make any sense. The right thing is for you to compare yourself only to yourself, always in terms of the progress you've made since you started chasing your goal. Ignore what others do.
For example: imagine your goal is to participate in a marathon. It's not fair to compare yourself to someone who has participated in these events for years, as this person has had more preparation time. On the other hand, it's also not cool to compare yourself to that friend of yours who has a successful company (since that wasn't even your goal in the first place!)
Method 3 of 4: Acquiring New Skills
Step 1. Put this skill into practice every week
Practice really makes perfect. So think of ways to build in time to hone certain skills throughout the week, ranging from 15 minutes to an hour when possible.
- For example, you can practice the skill four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday).
- Don't try to accumulate all sessions in one day. It is better to put the skill into practice for 15 to 30 minutes over four days than to invest four consecutive hours.
Step 2. Focus completely on the practice moments
You're not going to make the progress you'd expect if you stick with your head in the moon when it's time to put your new skill to use. Put away all distractions and just think about what you're doing at the moment.
- Put your cell phone on silent, turn off the television, and so on.
- If you live with other people, ask them not to disturb your moment.
Step 3. Change the way you practice the skill gradually
It's not because "practice makes perfect" that you have to repeat yourself day after day. It may sound strange, but varying the way you learn a skill helps a lot. Check it out:
- In the marathon example: vary in terrain type and training route; run alone sometimes and with others; train on hills; do cross training.
- In the book example: go write a few chapters in different places; listen to music while you work; use prompts etc.
Step 4. Ask people who understand the subject for feedback
This is one of the best ways to notice your progress in the endeavor. Talk to someone who has experience in the topic and can give you interesting tips. It's enough that this person is honest and trustworthy and doesn't get too hard on you.
- Imagine you want to display your paintings in a local gallery. Your parents aren't the ideal people to review, but that art teacher of yours at school (or even the gallery owner) certainly has an interesting opinion!
- Now imagine you want to work as a chef in your own restaurant. Ask a professional chef to review your recipes or invite some people close to you for a taste test of your dishes.
Step 5. Don't aspire to ideals of perfection
Nobody is perfect! In fact, many people don't fulfill their goals because they have this distorted ideal in their heads. Just try to do your best and always grow as a human being.
You're going to have to sweat a lot before you get good at what you want to do with your life. Do not give up! Persistence is the secret to success
Step 6. Don't be afraid to start over
Some days will feel like the end of the world. It's normal: everyone stops for it from time to time. At those times, be willing to start over (even if it's from scratch).
- In the example of the marathon: it is normal to get tired legs after an intense workout. In that case, how about starting a new and lighter workout?
- In the book example: don't worry if you don't like the first manuscript of your novel. Start again!
Method 4 of 4: Seeking Motivation
Step 1. Monitor your progress and see everything you've done
It's not always easy to keep track of all the steps that got you where you are, but luckily there are a few different ways to look at that. See some examples:
- Draw a little star on your calendar on the days you take one more step towards your goal.
- Post photos of your progress to social media.
- Tell friends about your progress.
- Record everything in a journal.
- Make a list of all your achievements.
Step 2. Celebrate even your little achievements
As you've probably already noticed, every major goal is made up of smaller steps. And your journey will be filled with them! Try to celebrate each little achievement and it will be even easier to see your gradual progress.
In the marathon example: celebrate every time you finish a smaller race, such as a 5 or 10 km or even a half marathon
Step 3. Don't get too hard on yourself
How you treat yourself has a huge impact on the outcome of your journey. Think and say good things about yourself and learn to ward off negative ideas. Look:
- Say things like "I can do it!", "I'm making a lot of progress!" and "I can do anything" to yourself.
- Learn to counter negative thoughts such as "This is too hard" with "I've done difficult things in the past and I'm quite capable of doing this one too."
Step 4. Live surrounded by people who bring motivation to your life
Think of those friends or family who are always in your crowd and, of course, try to make friends with people with similar goals. Spend more time with these people and you will always be excited and willing.
Stay away from people who don't do you so well. A good friend never puts another down
Step 5. View your missteps as learnings
Making mistakes is bad, but it's a normal part of every growth process. Everyone goes through this from time to time and ends up taking good lessons in the end. Think: what can you learn from what happened? Then try again. See examples:
- Suppose you took a casting test but didn't pass. Talk to the roster and ask for feedback to improve.
- Aside from that, imagine that you failed to finish that marathon. Perhaps this experience indicates that it's time to review your training!
Tips
- Don't pay attention to what people say about your goals. Believe in yourself and pursue your dreams.
- You don't have to invest everything you have in your goal at once. Start by taking one step at a time.