“Progress is impossible without change. And those who can’t change their minds can’t change anything.” George Bernard Shaw
How many times have you become inspired to do something, only to give up on pursuing it before you even start?
You may love the idea of achieving your new goal; however, once you think about the amount of time, energy and effort it will take to achieve this goal, you simply give up. In this article, I share 3 simple steps to help one achieve any goal.
My experience:
A few years ago, I wanted to try out a workout home program, recommended by a friend. I was very inspired after seeing all the transformation pictures and reading the testimonials from other people who had tried out the program and so I purchased it.
However, when I read the exhausting step by step exercise routines that I would have to do 3 times a week, I started losing interest in the program. The next thing I did was glance at the recommended eating plan that I would have to follow, and it was filled with foods I didn’t like. I spent the next hour perusing through all the program reviews, and mainly focusing on how some people had found the program so hard to execute and my excitement sizzled out.
Within a day of purchasing the program, I had convinced myself that workout programs are not for me. I even considered the thought that maybe even losing weight wasn’t for me. Sadly, as a result, I gave up on pursuing my goal.
Why am I sharing this?
I’m certain that you’ve gone through a similar situation although it may not have been exercise related. However, I believe that you’ve set a goal to do or achieve something and bailed out before you even started taking the required actions towards achieving your goal.
So, how do you overcome the urge to give up?
1. Find out your WHY behind your goal.
The first step to ensure that you stick to your goals is making sure that this goal is ultimately what YOU want. A lot of times we think that we want to be, have, or do a certain thing but when in actuality, it might be someone else’s goal that sounds good to us. Your “Why” is your inspiration—the reason why you want to achieve that goal in the first place. For instance, I finally examined why I wanted to exercise, and the real reason was to get healthier since I was experiencing some medical scares. This reason got me to sign up at a gym and exercise every day.
Note: Goals set from your WHY are extremely powerful. Your WHY is that emotion and deep reasoning that forces you to persevere in adversity. You will often find yourself overcoming obstacles with ease and continually having the inspiration to move forward if your goal comes from a place of deep desire.
2. Split your goal into small tasks.
Once you know what your overall goal is and why you want to achieve it, break it down into smaller, more manageable sized tasks. Often we become overwhelmed by the enormity of our goal and it paralyzes us from taking progressive action.
3. Take each day as it comes and focus on what you can do NOW.
Start living in the NOW. Focus all your efforts on what you can do to reach your goal today, instead of thinking about all the work and time you need to invest in the future.
For example, if your goal is focused on fitness, push yourself 110% during today’s workout. Be present in the gym whenever you are exercising and stop thinking about the workouts left in that week. Begin by taking it easy and plan to put in more effort the next day. Do that extra set, and run that extra mile TODAY.
If your goal is school-related, read an extra page from your study material TODAY–which you normally wouldn’t. Start working on that school project that you keep putting off but know you have to do.
By focusing on what you can achieve today and investing that little bit extra effort in doing it, you set yourself up for success and propel your efforts to reach your goal quicker.
Most importantly, keep reminding yourself why you want to achieve that goal. Stay focused: and even if you make a few errors and feel discouraged, don’t give up. The rewards embraced in achieving our goals are worth any pain.
About the Author: Dr. Jacinta M. MPALYENKANA specializes in counseling for abuse and co-dependence on alcohol or drugs and is based in Los Angeles, California. After completing two PhD’s, one in Counseling and another in Philosophy, Jacinta chose to become a personal transformational coach, mentor, and public speaker. Her mission is to help make a positive difference in the world by counseling, coaching and empowering women.
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