What will it mean to you to achieve the goals you have set this year? Maybe you want a new relationship or a promotion at work, or perhaps to lose weight or visit a new country. We all want something. But the question is how do you get it?
There is a systematic method to realizing your goals. It is a skill that can be learned. Implement the step-by-step guide below and start making your dreams come true. Whether it is a New Year’s resolution you are trying to achieve or a lifelong dream, rest assured it can be done!
- What do you want?
Do you know what you really want? It is almost a mystery, how you can put all your efforts into achieving something, but after you get it, you feel nothing. Is this because discontent is inherent in human nature or is it because you often chase things you don’t really want?
For example, in the office, all your hours and energy are spent tirelessly working for a promotion. You finally receive it, yet somehow feel emptier and more exhausted. WHY?
Finding satisfaction and a sense of achievement only comes when: a.) you are certain about your goals b.) when it has true meaning for you and c.) it is something you truly wanted and not a pre-determined or external desire assigned to you by society or someone else.
Always examine your goals. More important, ask yourself why you are chasing after them. It has to be important for you as a person, not to anyone else. It is too easy to give in to outside pressures or demands, but by going for superficial goals, you miss the most valuable thing of all: the opportunity to find out your true desires.
Gaining clarity over what you really want takes conscious effort and requires space for contemplation and reflection. Investing in retreats, innerwork workshops, and practicing yoga are all helpful in realizing your goals. There are no shortcuts here, but if you invest in yourself in the right way, the rest of your life opens. Suddenly, everything makes sense.
- What holds you back?
Reflect on your current life situation and identify what habits take you closer or farther from your goals. To reach success, your thoughts and actions must align with your dream.
Let us say you want to be in a relationship this year. What are you doing about it? Obviously, it will be really hard to find a girlfriend if you do not go out at all or put yourself in a position to meet new people. Similarly, it will be challenging to go out or talk to girls if you keep self-sabotaging yourself by filling your mind with negative self-talk.
What you do or don’t do counts for a lot! Check your habits. Whatever goes against your goals, they have to go!
- What is your focus?
Staring at the mountain peak from the bottom is sure overwhelming. But if you instead only focus on the next step in front of you, you will find yourself progressing much faster than you ever thought possible.
See, if you want your own condo, thinking about where to find five million every day makes the goal seem impossible. But if you focus on how to save up for the PhP200,000 down payment in a couple of years, then it is much easier to make sense of the challenge. It does not mean you can suddenly pull money from trees but the road to success is clearer and more manageable.
No matter how big or small your target is, breaking it down to simple, specific, and actionable steps make a massive difference in perspective. Remember, nothing is impossible! It is only a matter of approach.
- Are you facing the facts?
Yes’ and no’s are never permanent. If at some point, you realize you really do not want what you are going for, just stop. Yes, other people may have something to say about it, you might get judged, but which opinion matters more here? Your happiness and satisfaction is more important. Being honest with yourself and with how you feel is always better than lying or suffering only to please others.
In the same way, if you have certainty in what you want but find your methods not working that well for you, never hesitate to try other means. You are not married to one solution. Explore new options and keep evaluating and re-evaluating. Things change every day, and so does how you feel and where your mind is at. Flexibility, adaptability, and presence of mind are the best friends of achievement.
- Do you have your back?
The road to achieving anything is non-linear. Sometimes you think you have it all figured out, then things start unraveling. Other times, you find hope when you least expect it. All of that is fine! Your highs and lows do not define you as a person.
What matters here is that you honor your own journey and trust the process. As long as you actively participate in achieving your goals, results are not that far behind. Do not give up!
Remember: if you truly want to achieve anything, there will always be solutions. Focus on finding answers, not on the problems. Also, mind your thoughts – a positive internal monologue is a powerful tool in producing results. You have plenty of choice here so instead of thinking how everything can go wrong, think about how they can go right!
Empower yourself to achieve all of your goals and be the best person you can be. Find clarity amid your confusion and give order to your tangle of thoughts. Join the Thriving Life Yoga and Self-development Retreat in Tagaytay on May 18-19, 2019! Learn how to create a life you love, connect with like-minded people, and enjoy a relaxing and stress-free weekend. This fun wellness event is brought to you by Flow Retreats and Pangea. Sign-up at https://www.flowretreats.com/thriving-life-tagaytay.
