Imagine accomplishing your wildest dreams. Think of the satisfaction that will wash over you when you finally reach your goals—this is your birthright. And whether it’s running a marathon, starting your own business, or anything else worth striving for, there’s a certain template you can follow for success.
And the best part?
These simple steps have been proven time and again to be the bedrock of goal achievement. And all it takes is a commitment to the process. So keep reading to learn the proven system to help you reach your goals.
1. Decide on Your Aim
You can’t hit what you don’t aim at. Without an aim (a goal), you’re drowning in the ocean of circumstance. This default way of operating is not a good strategy for goal achievement. But unfortunately, it’s how most people go through their days.
But not you; you must do the opposite.
Rather than droning through life like the masses, you must be intentional. So decide what you want, put it in writing, and resolve to pay the price to make it happen.
2. Develop a Plan
As the old adage so accurately says, “A goal without a plan is just a dream.” To reach your goals, you must develop plans for their achievement. Detailed and accurate planning takes the guesswork out of the process.
With a solid plan in place, every day you know exactly what you’re going to do and why.
As a result, you can put your head down and focus on the goal. If your plans fail, make other plans. And if those plans fail, try again with yet another plan. Repeat this process until you reach your goal!
Here are a few tips to help you make sound plans to reach your goals:
- Consult with a mentor or a coach: Get advice from someone who’s been there, done that who can guide you in the right direction. You can find people within your community by going to meet-up groups or different events.
- Do a Google search: The internet is an incredible resource that can answer your pressing questions. However, be sure you’re following people who have actually done what you’re trying to do yourself. The internet is great, but the downside is anyone can go online and vomit their opinion. So find credible people instead blindly following.
- Trust yourself: Trusting your own gut and intuition can take you much further than you think. I’ve used many self-generated plans in my own life that have led to both personal and professional success. So if you naturally come up with a plan that you want to test, by all means, go for it.
3. Use Self-Suggestion
Self-suggestion (also known as autosuggestion) is precisely what it sounds like. Every day, you must remind yourself of what you’re going after; you must ‘suggest’ that you’re moving toward your goals and that they’re moving toward you.
This process keeps your aims fresh in your mind. And it can be accomplished in numerous ways:
Vision Board
Gather images of your goals and paste them on a board hanging on your wall. This helps inspire you and acts as a constant reminder of what you’re chasing down in life. When you set a new goal, you want that goal to be at the forefront of your mind as often as possible. And that’s exactly what a vision board accomplishes.
Affirmations
What you say matters. Your words are powerful so ensure you’re speaking positivity into your life. Constantly reaffirm who you want to be, what you’re going after, and how much you deserve to have it. This may seem like woo-woo nonsense to the uninitiated, but trust me, affirmations are powerful.
Science has proven this, so start speaking good things into your life. A good way to do this is to write out your affirmations, record yourself saying them, and listen to the recording every day.
Visualizations
Many athletes and high-performance individuals (CEOs, entrepreneurs, etc.) use visualizations. Not only do they calm and relax you, but they help deepen your focus on the end goal you’re trying to achieve. Additional benefits of visualizations include:
- Boosts confidence
- Enhances your abilities
- Prepares you via “mental rehearsal”
- Increases motivation
- Sharpens focus
- Conditions your mind for success
Visualization is a great self-suggestion technique. And when consistently applied, it can help you reach your goals much faster and more efficiently than you ever thought possible.
Journalling
Journalling is a great way to use self-suggestion. Writing about the big objectives in your life strengthens your desire to reach your goals. It also helps you to keep track of your progress toward them. In essence, it’s a form of accountability. And we all know how powerful accountability is in keeping us on track, which leads us to the last tip on self-suggestion…
Accountability Partner(s)
Find an accountability partner. Ideally, you want someone who shares similar goals and values and who won’t let you slip or deviate from the path you’ve chosen. This tip is invaluable to help you reach your goals. Monthly or weekly meetups with your accountability partner to discuss progress will be a huge motivator for you to keep at it.
4. Find a Mentor
Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. There are people out there who have already achieved what you’re aiming at in life. Find them. A good mentor can literally shave years off of your learning curve.
How would it feel to save 5 years (or more) of effort and struggle to reach your goals?
This is a no-brainer. A mentor can offer you feedback, guidance, and step-by-step systems to achieve success much faster than you ever could on your own. Your mentor is your compass guiding you in the complex world of goal achievement.
Nothing can replace the value of a mentor.
5. Refuse to Accept Failure
One of the biggest roadblocks to most people’s success is a lack of persistence. People simply lack grit. They hit a few obstacles, challenges, or unexpected difficulties, and they’re ready to throw up the white flag.
Here’s a harsh truth…
If you’re going to chase your ambitions, temporary defeat is part of the process. You’re signing up for hardship when you decide to reach your goals. This means two things:
- You can’t take failure personally
- You can’t accept failure as your final lot
The most successful people—in any endeavour—reached success because of their refusal to compromise with failure.
Are You Ready to Reach Your Goals?
Your goals aren’t going to achieve themselves; you must be proactive and deliberate. And you can exercise this intentionality by following the tips laid out in this article. However, I understand that sometimes assistance is needed. That’s why I’ve created my ebook The Disciplined Mind.
In it, you’ll learn how to align your actions with your aims, so you can reach your grandest goals and dreams. Grab your copy today.
