The importance of goal making was emphasized in grade school, but it is easier said than done. As we grow older, goals become more complicated. Pursuing our goals requires more time and energy, and it’s common for us to lose momentum and leave them in the dust.
However, there are tools to fight the loss of interest. It is necessary to practice resilience: the ability to recover from or push through difficulties, obstacles, and setbacks.
As you set your goals, remember to keep a resilient mindset.
Achievable goals are key. Aiming for a promotion is great but phrasing your goal as “I want to receive a promotion” doesn’t put the responsibility on you. Instead, phrase it as “I want to prove to my boss why I am the strongest candidate for a promotion.” This change shifts the perspective and makes it easier to brainstorm how you will achieve the goal.
Visualize the outcome. See yourself achieving your goal and remember the image. You should know what the result looks like so you understand what you’re working towards.
Make smaller goals within your overarching goal. A handful of smaller goals are less intimidating than one large goal. Doing this will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
Strategize and plan how you will attain these goals. Knowing what steps you must take will keep you on track. Consider using the SMART Goal format.
Stay disciplined and inspired. It is easy to stay home and watch another Netflix episode, but this won’t get you far if it isn’t aligned with your goals. If you feel yourself lacking motivation, inspire yourself! Take a look at what you’ve accomplished thus far and push yourself to put in the effort.
Take care of yourself. Sometimes life gets hectic and you have to work in overdrive to stay on track. Maybe a deadline approached sooner than expected or someone threw another task your way. During this time, it’s easy to push self-care to the side and get less sleep, drink less water, or take a much-needed moment of relaxation. When your basic needs are taking a hit, it’s much harder to stay inspired and accomplish anything productive.
Don’t get discouraged! Setbacks happen; they’re a part of life. When they do, don’t let them sink your ship. Reset your plans and continue chipping away at your goal. Your future self will thank you for not giving up.
Celebrate your accomplishments! Where’s the fun in goal setting if you don’t allow yourself to enjoy the moment?
Set a new goal and repeat the process!
Keeping resilience in mind will allow you to not only set goals, but to follow through on those goals. Staying resilient will allow you to crush your goals and set an example for those around you!