Mark and I talk a lot about goals on our blogs. It’s understandable since we have both learned that without goals we are as lost as last year’s Easter egg, but with goals we seem to get anything we set our hearts on. Being the impatient person I am, I had to learn an important thing about realizing change: it is not linear.
We all enjoy watching good movies or reading books that make it seem that there is a straight line between getting where you want to go from where you are now. We think that line looks like this:
Identify your goal → Identify your options → Make a list of steps → Take a series of linear steps to get there → Don’t quit → Arrive at goal
There may be times when it works out that way. We certainly advocate for having identified goals and a list of steps on how to get there. We also suggest you continue taking those steps, day by day, and not quit until you get what you are wanting. But rarely does it happen so simple and clean like that. Instead, we find ourselves energized one day and stuck the next. We make huge progress then it goes on the back burner for a while. We experience a series of “good luck” then it seems nothing works out right. But if we continue on, eventually we do get there. What we find when we arrive is that all those distractions and detours actually enhanced our goal, taught us valuable lessons, and gave us the stamina to maintain the goal once we receive it! It is true; the messy journey on our way ends up being full of jewels for us!
What about you? Do you have goals or are you just living life in a rut where your day to day existence is all about getting through the day? Now is a great time to start dreaming and planning. Start out small – pick just one small goal that you would like to accomplish before the end of the year. Where would you need to be in 6 months in order to meet that goal on time? Where would you need to be in 3 months? Now that you have some smaller “mini-goals” write down the steps you need to take to accomplish your target by May. Then just do it. Don’t fret if you go through slow periods or you feel unmotivated at times. Just remind yourself of why you want that goal – then get moving again. Remind yourself often of your progress to keep you encouraged. Don’t quit! If you keep on a consistent path, enjoy the journey, and keep the jewels you pick up along the way – you will find yourself accomplishing more and more.
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