by Deborah Kintner
All too often, people give up on achieving a goal they have dreamed of, because they failed with their initial effort to accomplish it. However, a single (or even multiple) failure does not indicate that attaining that dream is impossible. In many cases, it simply suggests that something in your original approach needs adjusting. All too often, however, a person will either give up or continue using the same approach which has previously failed. A wiser approach would involve examining what led to the failure and changing it. Through persistent efforts and informed modifications, even the most fantastic of goals can be realized.
The first step in attaining your dreams consists of thoroughly researching your goal. If others have attempted to achieve it, learn about them and the reasons they succeeded or failed. If possible, interact with them. Find out what adjustments they would make if they were to attempt the same feat now. What training would help? What equipment, if any, would assist you in reaching the goal more readily and efficiently? What resources are available to deepen your understanding of the process for arriving at your desired destination? Through such research, you can develop a clear vision of the path leading to your goal, much as a good map helps you plan the best route for a trip. It can also prepare you for possible obstacles so that you may devise a plan for overcoming them, if necessary.
Maintain a passion for reaching your goal. Visualize how you will act and feel once you arrive there. Remind yourself daily that it is achievable and what your plan is to do so. By keeping the destination in view, your chances of reaching it increase greatly. Maintaining your focus on the target will straighten your aim and make your efforts more effective.
Break your goal down into manageable steps. Frequently, our grand designs get laid by the wayside because they start to feel overwhelming. However, focusing on a single step in the process helps you to acknowledge that the task is attainable, increases your confidence, and increases the effectiveness of your actions. During this process, it is essential to keep your attention on the task at hand, rather than on all the myriad steps that are to follow. Once you have accomplished a step, feel free to congratulate yourself on the progress you have made, then remind yourself of the next step and get started. Reinforcing yourself for making progress differs greatly from growing complacent. The former serves as an encouragement to continue your forward movement while the latter serves as a means of convincing yourself that you have no need to move forward. Step by step will get you there as long as you don’t simply stop along the way.
Maintain flexibility. Few plans proceed in exactly the manner in which a person outlines them. By realizing this in advance and applying this principle when you encounter setbacks or unexpected events, you can keep a positive attitude toward your efforts and feel free to make necessary modifications. Remember that the purpose of your plan is to eventually reach the goal. If modifying the plan increases your chances of getting there, be willing to do so instead of rigidly insisting on a particular tactic.