No matter what kinds of goals you’re working towards, there are plenty of things you can do to motivate yourself so you keep working on them and don’t let opportunities pass you by. Here are some self-motivational tips you can use to help you reach your own goals — big or small.smart goals
- Write down your goals.
- Make goals specific and measurable.
- Break larger goals down into mini-goals.
- Enlist a support network.
- Avoid people who discourage you.
- Stop procrastinating.
- Reward yourself.
- Consider the consequences.
- Keep your life, home, or office organized.
- Envision yourself achieving your goals.
Get Specific if You Want to Succeed!
It’s one thing to tell yourself “I’d like to lose weight.” But that’s not really much of a goal. A better plan is to follow the old business advice for planning marketing and PR campaigns — make your goals specific and measurable.
When goals are specific and measurable you know exactly what you’re working towards, and you can put together a concrete plan to make things happen. So instead of saying “I’d like to lose weight,” say “I want to lose 20 pounds within six months.” You have a time frame to work with, and you can actually measure your weight loss goal of 20 pounds.
It’s not enough to make them specific and measurable. Write your goals down and keep them where you’ll be constantly reminded. For example, with weight loss you might keep a note on the fridge so you see it and it helps you avoid bad decisions like grabbing a pint of ice cream that might sabotage your efforts when you’re feeling down. Or make a note on your calendar or in your PDA with specific dates to check-in. For example, put where your weight should be at the end of each month so you’re reminded to keep checking and to stay on course.
Goal-Setting Step-by-Step (or the Power of Mini-Goals)
One of the biggest potential problems with achieving our bigger goals in life is that we think so much about the big picture that it can be overwhelming. Let’s say you’re currently out of work and you need to find a job within the next three months. If you don’t reach that goal right away you might get discouraged and stop trying altogether. That’s no good.
