Many of us have goals--things we want to accomplish in our lives. However, attaining those goals is often much more difficult than we originally thought. Often goals get kiboshed before we even begin working toward them.
Here are some tips that can help you accomplish your goals:
1. Attainable: If you want to climb Mt. Everest, but have absolutely no mountain climbing experience, chances are the goal is unattainable--for now. It doesn't mean it's definitively unattainable, but it will take a lot of time and dedication to smaller goals to lead to that big one. That's the key: set yourself goals you can attain--the momentum will carry you to larger ones.
2. Work backward: Don't start with today, begin with tomorrow. What do you ultimately want to achieve? Typically it's something large. The key will be to determine what that goal is, and then work backward and list all the sub-goals that will get you to the big one; then just follow the trail of smaller goals to the big one--call it the Milestone.
3. Write it down: People who write down their goals typically achieve them. There's an amazing thing that happens when we put goals to actual paper, and then carry it around with us. Be even more audacious: write down the date of when you will accomplish it.
4. Re-read: When you have that big goal written down--including the date on which you'll accomplish it--read the goal everyday. This will keep the goal at the top of your mind, and help you focus your energy around it.
5. Ask for help: There are two kinds of people: those who help others attain their goals, and those who see you as a threat and won't move a muscle in helping you. Focus on the first group, and don't give a second thought to the dream-killers. Look into your social network and find those who can help you. Keep your request for help simple; and be sure you thank them when they provide you with ways to move closer to your goal.
6. Biographies: You'll need inspiration. Reading about the lives of others who have accomplished extraordinary things will not only give you the inspiration jolt you need, but will also give you insights into how you will accomplish your goal. This is where you get into the habits of success: by reading about those who succeeded you can mimic those characteristics and ways of working that contributed to accomplishing their goals.
7. Don't give up: Failure will happen--it's part of life. And in fact, failing at our goals can lead to valuable insights for eventually attaining them. When you fail, don't give up--get up and keep on going. Those who succeed have stories of failure--it's part of the jungle of life. Those who accomplish their goals don't take failure personally, and certainly don't quit. Perseverance is in all of us--but it often takes digging deep into your self to find it.
8. Be thankful: When you accomplish your goal, be thankful for where you are, and don't forget to thank those who helped you. We don't attain success in life without others helping us along. And let your accomplishment teach you a lesson about 'paying it forward': when someone comes to you to help them attain their goals, you can offer your time and assistance being thankful for those who helped you along.
9. Make another goal: The writer Stephen Pressfield recalled a time when he finished his first novel. He took it to a veteran writer to share his excitement. The writer asked him, "So what are you going to do now?" Pressfield was confused--what should he do? The writer-friend replied, "Go write another novel--today." When we attain our goal, we need to make other ones. Always have something to work toward--it'll get you up in the morning. Humans have a tendency to digress in health and joy when they stop working toward things.
10. Enjoy the journey: It's not the end, but the process in getting there that's of greatest value; it's the place of learning about yourself, mustering up courage, building community, and feeling your pulse. Take time to look up and enjoy the view from half-way up the summit. As the great Goethe once said, "Haste not--rest not."
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