Eight Ways to Set a Goal and Actually Achieve It
How many times have you contemplated actually going after a goal that youâve been thinking about forever ? Whether itâs backpacking across Europe, or finally quitting that job you hate to go after a career youâve been dreaming of since middle school. Maybe youâve been feeling as if the timing was never right, or maybe youâve just gotten into the pattern of second-guessing yourself. Hereâs the thing: the longer you wait, the more complacent youâll become, and the more youâll talk yourself out of what you really want to do. It”ll still be on your mind, though, and who wants to live life like that? Consider this a nudge in the right direction. Take a chance and stop telling yourself the reasons why âyou canât.â Start thinking of the reasons and the ways you can. Begin here.
Think About It. Like, Really Think.
Brainstorm with a pen and pad at your side and consider the goal from any angle you can think of. Think of the good, bad, and ugly results that could potentially come from going after this dream. Keep in mind, though, that youâre essentially preparing yourself, so any âbadâ results that you can conjure up in your mind should be countered with potential solutions.
Be Positive. And Keep Positive People Around You.
We donât care if itâs your best friend or a close family member — now is not the time for negativity. That type of attitude is dangerous when youâre building an idea from scratch. Negative people and their comments tend to convince people, already on the fence, not to follow through with their dreams, and we canât have that. Of course, these people can still be a part of your life, but if you have a goal in mind and they arenât being supportive, donât share any of your progress or concerns with them. Be sure that youâre looking at things positively, too! Remember: itâs key to think of all that can âgo rightâ before thinking of all that âgoes wrongâ — even if you have a plan either way.
Commit.
After you give your goals some thought, be sure that you understand what the commitment will entail. Once youâve decided that youâre fully prepped, go for it! Throw yourself into planning. Itâs good to give something a shot, but if you only end up floundering in the end because you werenât prepared to offer the necessary time it takes to build an idea and execute it — all your work would be for naught. And that would probably put you off from wanting to give it another go.
Research.
This one should be pretty obvious. You canât plan for success without doing some thorough research. Read up as much as you can on the topic, career or whatever goal it is that you have. You should know it inside and out before you tackle it wholehearted — this will save you a ton of anguish in the end.
Find A Mentor.
Weâre all grown, but thereâs nothing wrong with finding a âbig brotherâ or âsisterâ whoâs doing what youâd like to do. If theyâre not accessible, itâs cool. Just follow their careers from afar. Soak in whatever you can find. Interviews online, or maybe books that theyâve written. If theyâre in your city, reach out to them for the purpose of potentially picking their brain. Offer coffee or a lunch date so you can get to know each other — people love to be taken out, and people in certain positions absolutely love to share their knowledge with anyone truly interested. So show interest. Nurture these relationships especially. Plus, youâre building a network from scratch and starting with the top dog. Itâs brilliant.
Draft A Plan of Attack —Â And Actually Follow Through.
So youâve thought about it, committed to it, and done your research. You found a mentor in a position that you aspire to be in. Itâs time to start planning and setting timelines. We know, it seems like thatâs what youâve been doing this whole time right? Wrong. Youâve been preparing for this moment. Remember: the spark is the idea, the flame is the execution. So this draft has to be tight. You may have to go back and modify a couple times, according to outside factors, but try not to overthink things or youâll start to resent it all and end up back at square one.
Use Your Network to Implement the Plan.
Remember that guy you met in passing and he happened to mention being into the same thing youâre working towards? Find his card and give him a shout, because youâll need everyone you can find to be in your corner. Networks are really important and can save you a ton of time — if you know the ârightâ people. The people in your circle can plug you into the higher-ups that could bring you closer to your goal. Or they can offer advice or new ways of viewing what you have in mind. Even if they have nothing to do with the area, youâll find that moving with people with like-minded attitudes will offer inspiration when you need it most.
Meditate On It. Recognize Goals, Learn From Losses.
Youâll need to slow down and breathe sometimes. Be still and think of how far youâve come, even if you’ve faced certain setbacks. Setbacks come with the territory, so learn from them — but donât harp on them. Meditating helps in keeping your eye on the ball. Donât deter from it.