We all know the power of achieving goals.
As the simple metaphor of a boat that has no destination in mind tells us, the boat will drift according to the temperament of the tide. Drifting along, ending up wherever the tide wants to take the boat…
Unless there is a clear destination in mind and a firm plan in place to get from where you are to where you want to be.
In this sense, goals have a phenomenal power to provide direction and motivation to our lives… as without goals, life tends to ‘happen to us’ rather than be a deliberate result of what we consciously create for ourselves.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at some tips to help you harness the phenomenal power of goals.
1. Work out what you want.
It might sound like a trivial step, but so many people are unclear on what it is they actually want from life.
They drift around, hoping for the best, without any clear certainty of achieving their dreams, because they are unclear on what exactly their goals are.
The first step, therefore, is to get really clear on what it is you want.
2. Work out why.
Many people set goals that they think they want, but perhaps don’t fully connect with.
We all want a “nice home”, a decent car, and a loving partner. But you need to get really specific on why it is you want what you want.
In this vein, work out what feeling will that particular thing give you.
For instance, whilst it might be practically more appealing to use an Air Charter Service if this is a goal of yours – then connect with the feelings this will provide. A feeling of ‘having made it’, perhaps, of power and control over your own life, or maybe it’s a feeling of luxury.
The point is, it’s rarely the private jet that people want. It’s the feeling this experience creates.
We are all feeling beings, driven by our emotional wants, needs and desires. So, connect with the emotion behind the thing you want and work out whether that “thing” is the best vehicle to provide that emotional feeling.
Often, people work hard to reach a goal they think they want, only to feel somewhat deflated, on the basis, it doesn’t provide the lasting feeling of fulfillment they were hoping for.
3. Visualize.
There’s an idea that ‘thoughts become things”, meaning the thoughts you think become the experiences of your life.
If you think good thoughts – you will attract positive experiences, whereas, if you think bad thoughts, you tend to attract a more negative experience.
Athletes will spend hours and hours visualizing winning the race. This creates an element of expectancy, conditioning your brain to expect a specific result. Which acts as a command to do whatever it takes to achieve that particular outcome.
4. Write it down.
There was a recent study at the Dominican University that took 267 men and women from all walks of life. They were split into two groups; those that did write their goals down and those that didn’t.
The study discovered that of the people who committed their goals to paper, these people were 42% more likely achieve their goals – simply by writing them down.
The reason for this is that it activates your left, more logical side of the brain, which processes commands.
When you’re in a ‘dream state’ that’s your subconscious and creative right side of your brain. Whereas, your left side is more like a computer that views things as tasks to be completed.
Therefore, by writing it down, you are commanding your brain to now go out and find a way to achieve that particular thing.
5. Start small, but start.
There’s a popular saying that suggests “you don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”.
This means you don’t need to see the whole path as to how you’re going to achieve a major goal. You just need to get into action, get started, and walk the path in the right direction.
Many people are stuck in a state of procrastination, where they are waiting for the perfect conditions to get started.
The truth is, the perfect conditions will never come. We live in an imperfect world and you have to do the best with what you’ve got.
Indeed, the wind will blow no matter what. It’s just whether you’re able to set your sail to take advantage of that particular wind or if you’re going to let it topple you over.
Either way, it’s better to fall down and pick yourself up, rather than sit inside, waiting for the wind to calm down and the sun to come out.
Get started today, no matter where you are, or where you’re going. Just head in the right direction and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.