Let’s be honest when we think about goals, we view them as new year’s resolution and those were something that were made to be broken. You would shoot too high and find yourself stuck on a ledge with no way to come back down. I can’t say how many times I’ve found myself on that very ledge. I have a stack of goals that are sitting in a notebook somewhere that have yet to be checked off. Trust me I’m covering my face in shame as I write now. Those aside I was determined to not make this a habit. If I was going to make goals for myself, I was going to follow through with them. I found that the easiest way to crush your goals is to find a finish line that is easier to cross.
It was no easy feat because even the smallest goals can be the toughest to accomplish. However, I did manage to find some things that motivate me to shoot for more and give me the kick in the ass I seriously need. These tips have worked for me and there’s a possibility they can work for you.
It’s easy to set goals but seeing them in front of you is a different story. I’ve found that any goal I’ve set that was beyond where my eye could see, has never come to fruition. So, I started setting smaller goals. This has especially worked for my workouts. I knew losing a hundred pounds in a three-month span would not be possible for me, so I set a goal to be able to lift my entire body weight onto my arms with little to no problem. Something I was able to accomplish because it was a goal, I could see staring me in the face. By setting these small goals I could prepare myself for bigger ones, even longer ones. Long-term goals is something that I’m looking forward to and trying to crush.
One of my small goals this year is to do more outdoor things. With the warm weather fast approaching I’d like to go on hikes. The last time I did a good hike was years ago and it’s something I had enjoyed in the past and would love to implement it into my routine. If it be in the morning or in the evening, possibly even on the weekends. I will get it done as much as I can.
This one may be hard for the “yes, man” out there. No is not an easy word to say, let alone to those you love, but it is something we should start implementing into our goal routine. When it comes to dream chasing especially. It’s so hard to say no to friends who invite you out on a night on the town. It’s so inviting, and you haven’t had a good time in a while. This is not to say you can’t go out and have fun, by all means live your life, just remember your limit. One night will turn into two and then three, and soon you’ll find yourself back at the start, with nothing done and kicking yourself in the ass for losing track. It’s something that could have been avoided if only you learned to say no. And if you do plan to keep saying yes I recommend leaving it for the weekend and keep your weekdays open for stuff you want to get through.
I can not tell you how many times I had said yes and ask myself why I did. I could have been doing something more productive. Now I leave my “chilling” time for the weekend and work through out the week, so when I do decide to have some fun on the weekends I don’t feel guilty.
This may sound stupid because the last thing I would want is for you to question yourself that only brings more doubt. I know that when I’ve questioned myself in the past my brains process had always been negative. My questions would only bring me down and suck out all of the motivation in me to a point where I wasn’t any closer to my goals and I was questioning what I was doing with my life. In this instant questioning yourself in a more positive light will help you see why you set your goals in the first place. What did I love so much about this goal that made me set it?
There were times when I would sit in my room, not doing anything in particular. I would just sit in the dark and cry, hoping that no one would come so they wouldn’t ask what was wrong. That lasted for a day, could have gone to a week. It was all because I saw a future for myself and I was no where close to having it. It was at my fingertips and the closer I got the more it slipped away. I would be the one sitting with my sister at the park and asking her what I was doing with my life. Why did god deal me these cards? Was I so bad that I was being punished?
By those questions alone, I knew I needed to take a different route and find the correct responses. I wasn’t being punished, I was being tested. These cards were giving to me because I needed to prove that I could turn something horrible into something amazing.
Finding your motivation can be one of the hardest things. A motivation should be something that inspires you. It should supply you with that fighting drive and never stop. These motivations don’t have to be something extravagant like winning the lottery. They could be as small as a quote from your favorite author or actress. The littlest thing can create the biggest outcome.
For me my motivations are my nephews. I’d want them to know that anything is possible with a lot of hard work and determination. Knowing that one day they’ll find themselves in very same spot not knowing where to go. I want to be able to have an answer for them someday. It’s the reason why I’m exhausted during the day, still come home and refuse to hit the bed until 11 pm.
This is something I’ve learned the past few months. We always remember to run and walk, but sometimes we forget that fighting is a requirement. Pushing yourself through every obstacle and remembering that you might not have tomorrow. Today is here and now. There’s no point in saying I will get it done tomorrow when you have a perfectly good day in front of you. This may be the hardest tip of all because you are your biggest critic, your biggest supporter and ultimately your biggest fan. Push away all the things that remind you of stuff you’ve never accomplished. The novel you’ve never finished, the drawing that was never completed and the race that was never won. If you look back on unfinished works, it’s a bad stamp that will keep you on that trend. Remember fighting is only the beginning.
Goals have never been something I set for myself, but I think it’s because I’ve never truly had a clear picture of the life before me. That all changed with unexpected curve balls. I need you to remember, no one can say you can’t. Can’t shouldn’t even be a word in your current dictionary. It’s always a matter of how and when. Keep pushing until your steps become lighter and you no longer feel like you’re walking in quick sand.
Great ideas!