Last Updated on Mar 11, 2020 by James W
Have you always wanted to sit down and write that novel? Or wanted to quit your soulless desk job and start afresh? Or maybe you had always wanted to learn to play the cello but never got around to doing it? Everybody has these secret life goals, and most of the time you don’t end up achieving them. Why? Because you keep putting it off. This begs the all important question: Why do we keep putting things off?
- You are too scared of failure.
- You hate change.
- You don’t know how to do it.
- It’s too much work already.
If you notice, most of those reasons start with YOU. Now is the time to stop being a couch potato and finally live your life!
Step 1: What is the goal?
It all starts with you finding out what is it that you want to do. For some people, it’s crystal clear. They know what their goals are going to be.
Others can just be looking for a change, to do something new to make their life more exciting. Looking for ideas? Here’s a few.
- Learn a new language. Always wanted to read French poetry? Learn the language!
- Travel to someplace new. Go to a place which is completely off your comfort zone.
- Start playing a musical instrument. If you like your rock, go for the guitar. For the classical minded, there’s the cello, the violin.
- Undergo a lifestyle change. Have you always wanted to go vegetarian? Now’s the time.
- Go out and meet someone new (and not just at the neighbourhood pub)
- Start meditating.
- Get your finances in order.
- What about writing your will? Look at www.disputingwills.co.uk
for some great advice.
Once you know which areas of your life need achieving, start prioritising. What comes first? The financial goals, the personal, or the career ones?
The ideas can come in millions. So step one is to sit down and think hard.
Step 2: Do the homework
Once the list of goals is ready, start doing the fact finding. What do you need to do in order to achieve them? Look at books, online articles, guide books, etc. Use websites which give information on specific related topics. So if you are working on a will, look at related websites like www.disputingwills.co.uk
If it’s a new career, start looking for classes and how much they could cost. For creative projects, start looking for inspiration, think of plots and ideas.
The research should also help you make a timeline. Keep it real and decide how much time it should take. Based on that, get a deadline. It could be a few months, weeks or even a few years.
Step 3: Keep the deadlines
This is the all important bit. Most projects fail to take off because people cant keep self imposed deadlines. Keep yourself motivated and spend some time on your goals everyday without fail; even if it is just for fifteen minutes. It’s important to not break the flow.
- Keep a calendar and check the days to mark your progress.
- Listen to some good music while working.
- Figure out your body clock and work on your project at your best time.
- Give yourself rewards to finish certain deadlines.
- Enlist the help of friends and family to help you push through.
Make a road map or an action plan. This should neatly break down a structure of how you will achieve your goals. Create a logical step by step process. If you are the organised type, flow charts are always a good idea.
About the author
Jack Dawson is a freelance writer who writes for websites on a variety of topics including lifeskills and motivation. He has worked with websites like www.disputingwills.co.uk. Jack likes blogging in his spare time.
