Goals: 3 Keys to Staying Motivated

Goals. Everyone knows they’re good to have, everyone tries to have them, some people even write them down! There’s something about goals that a lot of people don’t realise… having achieved your goals does not make everything better!

Have you ever heard someone say “Once I’ve saved some money, then I’ll be able to do it.”, or “When we have our own house, we’ll be able to *insert activity here*.”?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to forget about goal setting or to throw away that list of things to achieve you’ve been working towards. In fact what I am saying is that it is imperative we all have goals and work towards them.

Why? Because it is the working towards a goal that provides motivation, inspiration and a sense of fulfillment – not the attainment of the goal itself. We now know that we feel best when we recognise PROGRESS in ourselves.

An example of how this works is to look at some of the rich and famous that fill our tabloids every day. While a “worship” mentality exists around these “stars” with so many people wanting to be like them – to have the money, the fame, the lifestyle; and yet we hear so often how unhappy they are with their success, even to the point of harming themselves.

If everyone had achieved all their goals and simply stopped striving for anything else, we would lead lives of boredom and apathy.

3 Keys to Setting Goals to Stay Motivated and Enthused.

        1.  Always be consciously working towards goals – something… anything!

The enjoyment is in the journey – it is in the learning, in the growing and in the recognition of how far we have come since we started. Goals are the milestones we utilise along the way; the markers on our growth chart as we travel through life.

        2.  Ensure you are working for the good of the community.

There is true honour and pride when you support or improve the life of someone else. When we see a smile of thanks on someone’s face knowing that it is there in part because of us, it makes it all worthwhile… and builds more esteem supporting the coming legs of the journey.

        3.  Ensure the journey is your own.

Note: this does not mean take the journey by yourself. It means to ensure you are the one steering. It is your journey, and the markers and milestones along the way must be plotted by you. While you are young, support from family and friends is needed as part of your apprenticeship, but eventually you must be the one driving – only you know the direction your journey needs to go.

The journey is inevitable, we are all on our own journey from the day we are born. The trouble is that so many people have let go of the steering wheel allowing themselves to be tossed and shunted in whatever direction happens at the time.

Ultimately, we either take control of the journey, or we don’t. If we do, the markers on the way are the goals that we set – they don’t have to be Earth-shattering, they don’t have to take years to achieve, but they do have to be ours and maintaining focus on them ensures progress along the journey of our lives.

We have tools in the “Resources” section including the “Well Formed Outcome” that takes you step by step through creating goals that you are in control of, and that ensure they are aligned with your journey.

For it is the attainment of enjoying that journey that allows you to…

Live Your Ultimate Life.