January is always the time of year we set out our new plans, our new goals, hopes and dreams. And then February arrives and we all look at our calendars. We wonder what ever happened to our focus and post-Christmas determination. Many would aspire to be a goal-getter, I am a goal-setter. Each year I set goals and even though the plans can change, I never lose sight of the ultimate goal. Here is how I stay on track.
1) Perseverance
There are thousands of women who are more qualified and talented than me who could be doing my job. The difference? I have continued to show up for myself and be comfortable with hearing the word: no. It’s not who you know or what you do but what you do. If you are hoping to be a success then you need to get used to being rejected and being turned away.
2) Write goals down
You’ll find it hard to achieve all your dreams if you’re not specific. Rather than write out “I want to be a millionaire”, you need to be writing something specific. For instance, “I will have a million dollars in my bank by the time I’m 35”. You need to be defining what exactly you are trying to accomplish. I don’t just write down that I want to be a published author but that I’ll be a bestselling author. Between 6-7am you will find me writing out by goals over and over to make it more formal process. Writing my goals down helps me stay focused and motivated. In fact, everything I have ever achieved started as a line in my journal.
3) Get involved
Motivation can come in all shapes and sizes, sometimes you’ll wake up feeling motivated and other times you’ll feel motivated after reading an inspirational quote on Instagram. Consistency is the key to staying motivated. Every week, I listen to my favourite podcasts and there is nothing more I enjoy than purchasing (yet another) personal development book. My favourites include: High Performance Habits, You are a Badass and She Means Business.
4) Rise harder than the fall
Setbacks are part of the process and missing a day or two is completely normal. You’re not a robot, you’re human. Read that again if you need to. If it’s not challenging you it’s not changing you so stop beating yourself up and being hard on yourself. The difference between winners and losers is winners stand up one more time, so keep going.
5) Visualise your goals
It is said that you shouldn’t spend the 30 minutes before you sleep on your phone or at your computer. This is exactly why instead, I manifest. According to Forbes, it’s important to visualise the end result and what it will feel like once you are there. You need to visualise the utter excitement and relief, this is what will fuel you on days when you don’t feel like working. Trust me, even when you have your own business, you’ll have plenty of those. Every evening, I listen to a guided meditation podcast episode or a guided goal-setting session. Being honest, it has been difficult to find one I really love which is why sometimes I just sit in my space and imagine my audacious dreams coming true.