It’s Time To Work Toward Your Goals
It's time to work towards your goals, whether you're a new grad or already employed. But how do we know what is the best way for us? That's why here at Study In, we offer our top ten ways on how to prepare for your next milestone:
#1 Set goals with specific steps in mind.
- Know the outcome you want to achieve.
- Break down the steps of achieving it into smaller chunks.
- Make note of them and set deadlines accordingly so that nothing slips through without failing.
- Keep track of your progress and review what you've accomplished after every deadline so that you know if anything falls through or needs more work on it little by little over time (i.e. a daily checklist).
#2 Keep it simple
- You're going to need a lot of discipline and motivation to stick through your path towards the ultimate goal.
- You will never be able to achieve the ultimate goal if you are constantly looking back at what you have done in the past because of how much work it took, instead of looking forward at what is yet undone (i.e. keeping it simple).
- If you find that you're having trouble with motivation, try thinking of another way that may help you get there faster (i.e. exercising).
#3 Break it down
- Breaking down the goal into smaller steps assists you when it comes to working towards your ultimate goal.
- When it comes to setting goals, having milestones is even better because they help you track your progress along the way.
#4 Work on the basics first
- Most people don't know what their end goal is until they are about halfway through achieving their first milestone.
- Know what you need to learn or do in order to get there, then start from there and work on those things until you've reached success.
- After you have mastered some of the basics, you'll be able to then plan what your future movements will be and how they will benefit you in the long run.
#5 Understand why you're trying to achieve this goal
- Do you want to get a job because you love it, or just because it's something new and exciting?
- When it comes to actually achieving your goal, sometimes we can feel down because we think that we don't even deserve a reward for our efforts.
- Focusing on why we want a certain goal will keep us motivated when things become difficult along the way (i.e. staying positive).
#6 Align yourself with other people who are also making progress towards their goal
- It's more realistic to work toward something when you have someone you can look up to.
- This is a great way for you to use each other's experiences and help you stay moving forward towards the goal that matters most.
#7 Set small milestones along the way
- You don't have to achieve everything all at once, but just by getting closer is better than not.
- When working towards your ultimate goal, see if there is something on your path (i.e. a new skill, an internship, etc.) that would help you get there faster.
#8 Work on one thing at a time
- A lot of times we can get overwhelmed by trying to work on something new and simultaneously try to keep up with our old habits.
- If you're like most people that have forgotten what they are really working towards (i.e. your ultimate goal), it's best to take it back down in smaller chunks and nothing else because that will leave more room for adjustments and corrections while you are setting your next milestone (i.e. the stepping stone).
#9 Practice makes perfect
- It's not going to be easy to work towards your goal and make changes in your life just because you want it, but if you don't at least try then how do you know whether it's really possible?
- When you're trying something new it turns into a practice, and when that practice becomes a routine then you'll be able to see whether or not the goals that you set for yourself are actually achievable (i.e. practicing your new skill).
#10 Have hope for the future
- The reward for working towards your goal is knowing that it will all pay off in the end.
- Some people get frustrated when they fail to make progress, but at least you have shown them that it's possible and now you're one step closer towards your ultimate goal.
- In order to keep your hope up, remember how difficult you thought it was before you got started and remind yourself that it's not going to be easy (i.e. keep your head up).
#11 Do it for yourself
- Yes, you're working towards something that means something to you, but do it because you want to and not because everyone else wants you to.
- The end goal doesn't matter as long as you have made progress on the way there and done what you were capable of doing.
- Focusing on your own progress will help keep your enthusiasm high (i.e. being driven by how far you've already come).
#12 Stay motivated!
- Motivation can be a fickle thing, especially for each individual.
- Sometimes we have to find motivation from within ourselves and not from someone else (i.e. do what you can, when you can).
- If a task seems difficult, break it down into smaller steps until you see progress.
- Try to do things that will help your progress (i.e. exercising every night) even if it feels like there's no point in doing so because the purpose is to give yourself a sense of accomplishment (i.e. keeping track of your daily routine or reviewing how far you've come).
#13 Be confident in yourself!
-"Confidence is the feeling you have before you understand the situation. Wisdom is the feeling you have afterwards" (i.e. confidence vs. wisdom).
#14 Know when to say 'yes' and when to say 'no'
- It's okay to take a break every once in a while, but make sure you get back on track as quickly as possible.
- Don't be afraid to call it quits if you feel like it's too much too soon (i.e. taking a nap).
- Sometimes you need some sort of motivation before you can have your "aha" moment where you realize that it wasn't worth all the effort (i.e. wake up early).
Conclusion
There are so many ways that you can stay motivated and do something to make good progress on your ultimate goal.
- Develop a new habit, remind yourself of what it is that you're trying to achieve, or set a milestone in order to stay focused on your end goal throughout the year.
- This "Ultimate Goal" section is just one of the many tools that I use to keep me motivated.
The Ultimate Goal is designed for readers at all levels and for people who have never read anything like it before.