Top Ways to Stay Motivated and Focused to Realize Your Goals

Everyone has goals and aspirations they want to achieve in life. Whether they are smaller steps or larger aspirations, we are often met with distractions that put a hold on plans. Staying motivated to achieve these goals has never been harder and sometimes the offer of a quick fix or ready-made solution seems the perfect answer. For some people, finding this motivation is easier but others it is a challenging road ahead, which many give up on. Taking the first steps to realizing what is important to you is the best way to open up your mind to more opportunities and potentially making those goals come to life.

If you’re looking for some inspiration about how to achieve your goals and ways to stay motivated on this sometimes-challenging road ahead, take a look at some of the ways in which you can change your mindset and achieve them.

Are they your goals?

Other people often influence us, whether this is a teacher, family member or work colleague and although you may think that something is your idea, deep down it could actually be someone else’s. Delving into the wider aspects of why you set a goal could actually bring to the surface a host of reasons why it isn’t actually your goal but that of someone else. It may be that you have created a goal because of what someone else has done or achieved and you may feel you should do the same to fit in. It’s always important to realize whether it is right for you and what you really want to achieve from it, otherwise, you’ll get stuck inside someone else’s dream.

Determine what motivates you

For many people, money is a huge motivator, and some people will not make goals unless the end result sees some financial rewarded. There is also the issue here that people also think that money is their only source of motivation so when they come to working towards that goal, they find that they do not enjoy the journey as fully as expected. It’s safe to say that you should not assume money would motivate in all instances. This is also true in careers related goals. You may aspire to be a manager or team leader as the monetary reward is greater, but once this starts eating into your personal time and you can’t switch off, it may prove the wrong step for you.

Choosing what works for you is essential and being motivated by happiness, memories and other non-materialistic things is often a more rewarding goal to achieve. 

Managing your expectations and setting realistic timeframes

As the saying goes ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ and it certainly rings true for most goals. If you are looking at something like weight loss as an example, you are not going to see results after the first day of going to the gym. Patience and setting realistic timeframes is critical in these cases. Breaking down what you want to achieve and stages in which you want to achieve it by, help to make smaller goals achievable and, in turn, contribute to the overall final accomplishment. When it comes to health motivations, everything from weight loss to recovery from addictions has to ensure a steady and sustainable process for success. For example, problems such as alcohol addiction have an alcohol withdrawal timeline, which is incorporated into the overall goal. Time and patience are key for issues such as these as quick fixes can quickly lead to slipping into the same unhealthy habits.

Visualizing your goals and results

If you know what the end result should be, then visualizing how it could help your long-term goals makes it appear easier to achieve. Considering how it will make you feel once it is completed has tons of benefits, not only for overall motivation but also mind health too. Setting goals can assist with feelings of depression and reenergize you on days you feel low. This clearer mindset can also help in other areas of your life too. You’ll have more focus on everyday tasks and will feel excited about new things and achievements, however small they may be. Once you achieve your goal, evaluating the challenges and success also help to improve reasoning and planning for the next goal, which can, in turn, make you a more organized and successful person in life and your career.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

One of the biggest issues people face in realizing their goals is being afraid to ask for help. This stumbling block can have negative effects on how quickly you achieve your goal or if you complete it at all. Surrounding yourself with people that inspire and motivate you is a great way to feel comfortable when you need support. This network of people can be anything from family to work colleagues, and they will be aware of struggles and barriers you may be facing. Tapping into their energy and strengths also helps to determine your own and asking for help is another element of strength that should be recognized.

Be organized

Keeping on top of everything is another key element in keeping your motivation strong. Having a cluttered mind without a logical thought process leads to stress and potential downfalls in productivity. Some goals can become overwhelming, and at this point, it is necessary to take a step back and look at where you have come and what else needs to be done to succeed.

Re-evaluating at this point may also be crucial, as many goals can be tweaked or changed depending on the situation. Nothing is set in stone so worrying about a process that is not working for you is the ultimate motivation killer. Goals should work on what you want to achieve, and if that changes during this time, you can switch things up to match your new outlook.

Keeping a clear head and staying motivated is important for maintaining focus and strength throughout your life. Everyone is different, so set goals for you and no one else.   

This is a guest blog entry.