Most of us sets goals, intentions or try to create new habits at some point during the year.
But very few of us achieve them. Why?
It’s so easy to slip back into old habits or to go into our “yeah buts”. Staying motivated and connected everyday is the tough part. This is the most difficult step I see when I work with my clients,and the most difficult part for myself too. The big goals are more fun for most of us. But the day to day is the less sexy part.
Here are some steps to getting unstuck and making decisions that move you forward in your life-getting you closer to your goals.
1. Are they really yours? One of the biggest challenges in staying motivated and sticking to our goals is making sure that the goals we set are the ones we really want. Sometimes we set goals based on what we think we ‘should’ do, or what other people say we should do. Check in regularly and see if it still resonates with you.
2. Visualize yourself achieving the end result. Studies show that visualizing an action stimulates the same brain regions as when we are actually performing that same action. Athletes who practice this technique (picturing themselves crossing the finish line or executing a perfect routine) performed the best at the Olympics. Even better than the athletes who did more physical training.
3. Find your positive peeps. Having people in your life who are positive and who can engage in conversations about your goals or other things that you are passionate about, can really lift you up. It’s also important to address situations where people may be sabotaging your success. For example, if you are trying to change your lifestyle and your friend is always “gently convincing” you that one drink or one order of fries won’t do anything, it may be wise to take a break from them for a bit.
4. Create your stop doing list. Our lives have gotten cluttered with all of the “shoulds”, that often we may have a difficult time figuring out what we want to do or what we really need to do. Here are some things you can stop doing now, that can have a big impact on your life.
5. Get Real with yourself. It’s easy for us to blame a lack of success in different ares of our lives on external circumstances. But the truth is, it’s usually something inside of you that is holding you back. Fear, lack of confidence or even fear of success holds most of us back. Practice digging deeper and taking a look inwards to see what’s really holding you back. Marianne Williamson has an amazing quote on the fear of stepping into our light.
6. Practice being still. Take a few minutes a day to simply focus on your breath and quiet your mind. Being still creates the space for deep listening. It allows you to hear the truth and clarity that is normally muted by mental noise and external busyness.
If you want additional tips and motivation, here’s my most popular video on staying focused on your goals.
In the comments below, I’d love for you to share what you are going to do to start moving forward in your life where you may feel stuck.
Sincerely,
Ana xx
Great tips! I like the “stop doing list!” Similarly, many find journaling every morning to be effective. Putting thoughts/worries/goals down on paper can be useful. Another way that can be useful for achieving goals and building habits for some is to intentionally start really small. So small, it barely feels like you’ve done anything. But over time, this becomes a piece a cake and you can build from there. If done right, it can be very effective for building good habits and meeting your goals over a long period of time.
Thanks for sharing Brian.