Sometimes we are striving to get ahead
Sometimes we are striving to be okay with where we are
Either way, these principles will help you break down your goal, build the foundation and achieve the thing you are truly wanting.
- In order to build a house, you must start with the foundation. But in order to build the foundation, the entire house must already be built on a blueprint. Same is true with your goals. You have to start with the end in mind. Build the dream, then trace your steps backward, all the way to the foundation. Start there.
- A giant leap is nothing but a series of small steps. Give yourself a reasonable time frame to achieve your goal. Then, plan your steps accordingly. Each day or week, give yourself a small goal to reach. Write it down where you’ll see it daily, like on a dry erase board. It’s important to do this because it keeps you on track and accountable to yourself, but also it gives you a sense of achievement each time to complete one of the steps.
- Despite our best efforts, things don’t usually go as planned. Allow space for this when creating a timeline to achieve your goal. In a perfect world, you might be able to get to the goal in one month so, give yourself two. If you can achieve it in 6 weeks, this will create a sense that you are ahead of schedule, rather than behind or failing.
- There is no such thing as perfect so rather than using that word or thinking along those lines when trying to envision this new world you want to live in, think in terms of “excellence.” Excellence is achievable. Perfection is not.
- I could write (and might) an entire article on gratitude. The word gets thrown around so much that we don’t stop and think about what this really means. However, there is a very important secret I have begun to understand along the way about gratitude that I’m going to share with you right now. When gratitude is foremost in your life, no matter what your circumstances may be, it moves you to your goal much quicker. Seemingly, it allows you to see opportunity that you many have otherwise missed. So, if you’re sick and tired of waiting and wishing, focus on gratitude. Your situation will begin to change.
- Call in the elders or experts. Every successful person I know has a team of experts that they refer to. Nobody achieves their goals alone. Nobody. It’s not possible to do all the ins-and-outs of every aspect of your goal. Sometimes, help is required.
- Why do you want this thing? Let’s run through a scenario about a new home, since that’s where we began this article. So, you want a new home. Why? Because it has more room, the utilities are cheaper, it has the master bath you’ve always wanted, etc. OK, but why? Well, because I would have more money, I would be able to take long, relaxing baths, the kids wouldn’t fight as much because they would have their own space. OK, but why? Well, because all of this would help me be more relaxed. OK, but how does that help? Well, if I could be more relaxed, I would be a better mother and wife…. I think I could find happiness. THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE (to be happy and because of that, be a better mother and wife- a better YOU). Sometimes, we want things that we judge frivolous or materialistic. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not really that thing that you’re wanting. It’s the purpose behind it. If you are chasing a dream and you don’t know the purpose it holds, stop and figure it out. It might be that once you figure out what the purpose is – that thing that you REALLY want, you find that achieving that goal won’t bring you the fulfillment that you thought. You might need to change directions. Or, you may find that there’s a better way to gain your purpose than buying the new house.
I’ve written two other articles on reaching your goals for 2019 also. You can find them here and here. I’m certain there’s enough info in all of them to get you success, but when all else fails, play dead.
Until we meet again
XOXO