Focus on where you want to go – not just what feels good in the moment.
We tend to live our lives doing what feels good in the moment but spend little time thinking about our future. We tell ourselves that we will get serious later in life, when we have more time, or are less tired.
Wishful Thinking or Focused Resolve
There are many things I would like to do. But unless I purposefully turn my desires into a goal, they just remain wishes.
Turn a Wish List into a Goal List
First, make a list of all the things you would like to do, wish you could become or want to have happen. Then go over each item on your list and ask yourself, how important is this to me? Do I really want to accomplish this? Am I willing to spend the time, energy and money to make this happen? If not, cross it off your list.
Wishes are desires you wish would happen, but do not want bad enough to find a way to make it happen.
Goals are targets you want to hit. You know where the goal posts are, and have a strategy on how to get from here to there. Where do you want to be in five years?
Look at each of the remaining items on your list, and answer the following questions:
- This is important to me because…..
- I am willing to sacrifice time, money and energy to make this happen because…
Make it into an affirmation statement that you read every day.
Now ask yourself what would happen if you didn’t make these important goals? How would you feel? Will you be in the same spot tomorrow if you do nothing today?
Goals are for people who want to make things happen – who want to take charge of their lives.
If you lack confidence, just going through the process of making some little goals and figuring out how to accomplish those little goals can make you feel ready to tackle the bigger ones.
Marlene Anderson