You have a clear goal in mind. You know what you want, and you think you know how to get there. But that is not enough. Even if you can taste it, wanting something is not enough to achieve it. We need a path, a plan, and to stay focused. But how do we do that?
How do you stay focused on your goals every day, even if the goal you have set for yourself is years away? We break it down into simple steps that will bring achieving your goals closer than you have ever imagined. Today, we discuss the top 10 ways to stay focused on achieving your goals.
1. Set up the night before
Timing is everything when you have a goal. Use timing to your advantage to make each day a little easier. When are you more productive, when you first open your eyes in the morning or before you go to bed?
Let me rephrase this: how often has your alarm clock gone off, and you continue to lay in bed with your eyes closed, trying to decide what to wear. How many times have you fallen back asleep during this process?
Do all these little preparation tasks before you go to bed each night. Layout your clothes for the following day. Set up your coffee to brew on a timer. Pack your bags and set them near the door. Finally, take out what you plan on eating for dinner.
Next, sit down, and plan out your day. Make sure to include all your must-dos and obligations. You will sleep much more soundly, and “future you” will be so much happier that “past you” had everything prepared.
2. Write them down
A goal that is not written down is just a wish. As much as I wish I had made that up, I did not. I heard it once a long time ago, but I just don’t remember where but it has always stuck with me.
Writing down your goals makes them real. Once they are real, they must be dealt with. Write down all your goals, big and small. Write down your to-do list and everything you need to get to in a day. Finally, keep a notebook with you and write down all the anxious thoughts that flood your mind. This is also a safe space to keep the fantastic ideas you come up with in a day and even anything you need to pick up from the store.
Writing these things down gets them out of your head, so they don’t take up space and waste precious energy. These pages do not have to be pretty or even grammatically correct. This is just for you to review later.
3. Read them every morning
Go over your goals every morning. Repeat them to yourself out loud. This keeps them present and in your reality. Never forget your goal. Let it be the driving force in everything you do. Keeping it current allows you to think of how you can direct your energy toward achieving it.
Don’t just review your long-term goals. Go over your short and middle ranged goals as well. Out of sight, out of mind, quickly comes true when you do not remind yourself of what you want to accomplish. It is really easy to slide back into old habits or lose track of all the progress you have made when you do not consider why you are doing it.
4. Do at least one thing to further your goals every day
This can be something as little or as big as the day allows. Goals cover as vast a spectrum as the individuals setting them. It can be keeping your obligations or sliding into something new. Whatever your day brings, try to take it as a brand-new opportunity to get one step closer to achieving your dreams.
5. Manage your time effectively
I will never be the one to say that you should spend 100% of your time productively. Burnout is a real thing, and self-care is a necessity. Sometimes you need to be able to rest and take a breather. But, if you want to achieve your goals, you will have to make measurable progress.
Make sure that you are not wasting time that you should be using productively. Complete all your obligations or to-dos before you indulge your wants.
Procrastination is the biggest time waster there is, and it comes with many faces. Don’t fall into this trap.
6. Plan your day
It is much easier to complete everything you need to accomplish in a day when you have a clear plan. Write out all your must-do’s in your planner, along with your hope to-dos. Ticking off the list will motivate you to tackle even more projects. Eventually, you will finish the list faster than expected.
Planning your day will also give you a clear understanding of what is actually possible to accomplish in the time you have. This is essential to be realistic about what you will achieve. As much as possible, try to anticipate how long a task will take and assign time blocks to each item on your list.
Having all these tasks organized will also give you a clear understanding of the time remaining on a project. This will make it less likely that items not completed will be forgotten about when planning out the upcoming days.
7. Take time out for self-care
We often expect greatness out of ourselves but do not invest the time into making sure that we can achieve it. We must treat ourselves with the same care, dignity, and excellence, as the output we expect.
Taking care of ourselves, both inside and outside, is one positive step. We need to take time out for ourselves, unwind, laugh, and just enjoy our life and journey. While we are busy focusing on our future and achieving our dreams, do not forget the vessel propelling us towards them. Being kind to ourselves and taking care not to burn out is as necessary as setting the goals in the first place.
8. Create a support network
Having a support network to hold you accountable for achieving your goals and uplift you along the way is vital. These people can help motivate you with positivity and can often be the best source of feedback and opportunities. This support network can be not limited to friends, family, classmates, educators, and even business or work associates.
Never miss an opportunity to network in your area of interest. You never know when you might cross paths with someone in the future and what position either of you will be in. Much of the professional world is about who you know. Having a network of people who can support you and create opportunities is an amazing advantage.
On the flip side, having trustworthy, competent, reliable people can also be a blessing when you are in a position to help others or create a team of your own.
9. Love what you do
Nothing motivates you more than having a passion for what you do. It will not be a chore if you love what you do, and little motivation will be required to get up and start in the morning. This passion can give you much more incentive and attention to detail to complete your projects, giving you a clear advantage.
10. Reward yourself along the way
It is important to celebrate our wins. Not just the big ones, but even the little ones. Big goals should always be broken down into smaller, manageable pieces that take no more than a month or so to complete. These are essential milestones for tracking progress and should be celebrated as an accomplishment.
Do not forget to acknowledge your hard work and give yourself an extra special pat on the back when you achieve this kind of progress. It is no small feat. If you stay focused on your goals and follow your plan, you will find that making progress is much easier than you ever thought. Stay focused and realistic about your expectations, and before you know it, you will look back and realize how far you have come.
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