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Entity shares 7 ways you can achieve your personal goals

When you were younger, how many dreams did you have for life? Did you want to be a police officer, a teacher, an engineer? Did you want to attend a specific school? Did you want to just be happy? As children – and even young women – we believe in ourselves, in our abilities and our aspirations, no matter how lofty.

However, the older we get and the more we are bombarded with responsibility, the faster that fire of ambition cools. It’s easier to be satisfied with our current situations – that way we aren’t intimidated by our goals. We’re left wondering whether we should take the easy route, which could lead to stagnation, or the hard route, which will be far more difficult but also far more satisfying.

Ask yourself, how many of your personal goals have you actually achieved? Are you happy with that number? You should be taking steps toward your goals even if your goals aren’t difficult to achieve. When you’re ready to finally start moving, these tips are designed to help you get things done.

1 KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE.

When you’re working towards a long-term goal, it can be easy to get distracted. For instance, if you’re tired and discouraged, you may find reasons to justify the three hours you just spent Facebook-stalking the friend with the perfect spouse, perfect house, perfect life.

Don’t do it. Self-pity will only get you so far. Instead, Lifehack suggests taking the time to visualize yourself achieving the goal. Write down your goals in significant detail. Talk about how you will feel when you achieve it, what your first thought will be and how you plan on doing your signature victory dance. 

This will help you associate pleasure with achieving your goal. According to Lifehack, this will make it easier “to get out of your comfort zone and do the things needed to achieve that goal.”

2 LEAN ON OTHER PEOPLE (TO THE LEFT, TO THE LEFT).

Even if your support system isn’t strictly to Beyoncé’s “left,” it’s important to share your goals with people you trust, people who respect you and people who won’t ridicule you if you fall behind on a task. They will be your backbone when you get stressed and feel like giving up.

According to Mayo Clinic, having a social support network gives you a sense of belonging and an increased feeling of self-worth and security, all of which you will need when life kicks you to the curb. These people will give you access to an endless source of inspiration, helpful feedback and advice to encourage you to pursue your projects.

Additionally, it helps to have people know what you’re working on and to have them check in with you periodically. When you have people to keep you accountable, you may also be more motivated to get things done.

3 CELEBRATE SMALL VICTORIES.

You already know how to break up a goal into more manageable pieces, but you should also know how to break up your goal to correspond with your schedule throughout the day. If your goal is to finish a paper by the end of the week, set a timer on your phone and make yourself finish a paragraph or two within the hour or by the end of the day. If you have loftier plans, like becoming more involved in your community, call local shelters and ask for information by the end of the day.

When you break up goals into smaller measures, it becomes easier to celebrate small wins. According to Harvard Business Review, “Even ordinary, incremental progress can increase people’s engagement in the work and their happiness during the workday.”

4 USE EACH DAY TO TAKE REALISTIC STEPS TOWARDS YOUR GOAL.

According to Advisory HQ, when you don’t consider the amount of time it will actually take to complete a goal, it will lead to the “crash-and-burn dilemma” as you work frantically to achieve your goals, only to run out of energy after a couple of weeks. Exhaustion will then set in, pushing you to quit because you think your goals are taking too long or are just too hard. 

In reality, your goals just needed to be adjusted. When you schedule your goals into realistic, manageable chunks, finding the time to work on them will be easier. If you have small goals each day, then the rush you get from accomplishing that goal will help you feel productive and motivated. That positive feeling will encourage you to push through the bad days.

5 BE TOUGH, BUT NOT TOO TOUGH ON YOURSELF.

Don’t hate yourself if you fall off the bandwagon. Don’t waste your time wallowing in comments like “You’re not good enough” or “You’re a failure.” The negativity will not help you to be more productive. As Success writes, “The loudest and most influential voice you hear is your own inner voice, your self critic. It can work for or against you, depending on the messages you allow.”

If you’re constantly berating yourself, it could lead to low self-esteem, stress, fear, resentment and anger – all of which will hinder you from reaching your goals. Instead, compliment yourself. Remind yourself how hard you’re trying. If you need to, talk to your support system to get some encouragement.

6 GIVE YOUR MIND A CHANCE TO REFOCUS.

According to The New York Times, there is “a growing body of evidence” showing that “taking regular breaks from mental tasks improves productivity and creativity – and that skipping breaks can lead to exhaustion.” Use something simple such as your laundry or other small chores to help you get through large tasks. However, make sure you are keeping an eye on the clock and don’t give yourself too much time to waste or else you’ll spend all night reorganizing your sock drawer instead of writing your final paper. 

7 USE HISTORY AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION.

Do some research and you will find amazing examples of women who have accomplished many great things with limited resources or support. Use those countless examples as a source of inspiration for your own escapades. Let those stories teach you that you can overcome struggle and your effort and passion will help you become the successful woman you want to be.

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