Staying Determined On The Way To Achieving Your Goals

Hit any brick walls lately? Unforeseen obstacles, stressors and setbacks, hassles and hiccups on the way to achieving your biggest goals and dreams?

They can initially feel distressing, deflating, and even demoralizing at times.

And interestingly, from years of helping clients work to optimize their lives and maximize their potential, it seems the more important the goal is to advancing your life and legacy—the more likely you’ll be to encounter those woe-inducing walls.

So, what can you do when you face brick walls on your journey toward your largest aims? Here are some strategies to help you:

Use your self-talk to stay determined. Focus on why your goal matters. And encourage yourself just like you would a friend who was attempting to achieve this goal.

Remind yourself of how far you’ve already come in life. Acknowledge your progress. The book The Gap And The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy discusses the incredible benefits of measuring where you are now compared to where you started, rather than concentrating on where you are now and how far you are from your ideal.

Prioritize stress management so you don’t burnout. The most efficient burnout prevention? Exercise. As noted in the book Burnout by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA: “Physical activity—literally any movement of your body—is your first line of attack in the battle against burnout.”

Please: Stay determined. Problem solve and adapt as necessary. Find ways around the walls. Keep going. Your dreams are worth the work. You are worth it.

I’m here cheering you on!

 

AWARENESS INTO ACTION:

Strategically maintain your motivation—and successfully stay determined on the marathon to accomplishing your goals—by engaging in energizing self-care. Try 1 of these actionable ways to fuel yourself forward:

–Watch “The Last Lecture” by Professor and New York Times best-selling author Randy Pausch. He empowers us all to strive for our dreams, and encourages, “Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things” and “Brick walls let us show our dedication.” Here’s a link to the video: https://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/

–Get moving. It’s amazing how much even a short walk outside can do. Stimulate creativity, boost energy, and blast stress. Now is the time to put on your sneakers and start walking.

–Write a list of at least 3 victories (small-but-important progress wins or major triumphs) you’ve already achieved in your life. Look at it at least once daily. It will help build your confidence and strengthen your self-trust.

–Listen to an inspiring podcast. Dr. Rick Hanson’s Being Well and The Verywell Mind Podcast with Amy Morin are two of my favorites.

 

ADDITIONAL INSPIRATION:

“Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.”—Zig Ziglar