Have you ever been so excited for something in life that you just couldn’t wait to begin? Maybe an exciting project, a new hobby or even planning a trip somewhere? I bet in that mindset everything felt possible and achieving goals seemed just a matter of time.
But then, a couple of months (or even weeks) later, we start to lose touch. That attack plan which seemed exciting on Day 1 feels daunting now. We’re not anyway near the tracks that lead to achieving goals and – even worse – that initial spark of inspiration is all but lost.
We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Sounds like every New Year’s resolution in the book, eh?
The other side of goal setting
Goals carry tremendous energy. They can lift a person up or they can drag the motivation to do something all the way down to the ground.
Being a very competitive and ambitious group, athletes are a great example of how seemingly great careers can be dominated by anxiety and lack of fulfilment. In particular from the gap between where people are and where they wish they were.
Goals help to create structure in life and most of us need that. However, too much focus on distant abstract future and not enough on the present moment is what makes that internal gap grow.
Why am I not achieving my goals?
Let’s come back to those resolutions, shall we?
We know resolutions don’t work. Or we don’t stick to them. We try for a while, lose interest or momentum (or both) and come February, that initial excitement is gone and we’re back to our old routines. Or even worse – shaming ourselves for not following through on our commitments.
The amount of people in the gym in February compared to January is a good example of this.
The reason these resolutions don’t work is because in most cases those are not real goals. Those are wishlists. Hopes for a better future in the new year. Not actual priorities that are backed by a deep self reflection.
So, how can we do better?
Achieving goals & staying motivated in life – 16 practical tips
What can we do to wake up every morning feeling grateful and energetic? To feel empowered to take control of our lives? With a mindset to attack every day and get those results coming?
The answer to this lies in the last question – every day. Goals we set must bring us to the present moment. Every small decision we make and small action we take matters. Our life is a series of such small moments and if we make those count we will be in a great position to make an impact on our life and put ourselves on a growth path.
Isn’t that what all resolutions try to achieve?
In this post I’ll share a framework not only for setting inspiring and motivational goals, but also for achieving goals and using that to stay motivated in life.
