Cover photo: Ross Findon on Unsplash
You might have something you don’t like about yourself. Perhaps it’s related to the place you live or who you are with. All at once, you decide to do something about it and take action.
But you have experienced this before; you are determined to make a move, but after a while you achieve nothing. You get discouraged, quit, and go back to your previous position.
The reason: the aim was not explicit enough.
Change leads to new opportunities, ensures life stays exciting, helps you move on, allows personal growth, and shapes you as a person, but your objective must be specific. If not, you cannot achieve it.
But first you need to understand what keeps you from changing.
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What is Holding You Back?
Stop being attached to what people think of you. If so, you will do what they’re saying and following their directions.
Do not be the one stopping yourself from growing.
Consider this. When you embark on a deep transformation, you will disappoint people as you fail to live up to their expectations of you. Accept they may react negatively.
On the other hand, if you are not willing to take that risk, you would end up being caught in their web of social rules instead of creating the new “you”.
What Do You Want to Change? Be specific
Foremost, before you make any move, you must decide where to go. After the target is clear, only then will you create the special pathway towards it.
Let’s say you want to be in shape. What does it mean? Being muscly for a competition, skinny to fit in your dress, or perhaps just to be healthy? Being in shape suggests many things.
As for a competition, you need a certain diet, a particular routine, along with vitamins, a trainer, and so forth. Alternatively, if it’s to feel well, so maybe jogging, cardio.
The series of actions depends on your direct purpose.
SMART Goals
What do you crave? To stand out in your job, set up a business, lose weight, write a book, become important? These objectives are not specific.
Create a list of your ambitions, with clear names.
“I want to be rich,” or “I wish to be famous,” are not clear, they’re vague. “I will make £50,000 in one year by marketing shampoo online,” is a logical goal. It’s very specific, you have a deadline, it’s realistic, and you can measure it.
The SMART approach – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely – could help.
Another useful way, after visualising your goal, is going backwards with all the actions needed.
As an illustration, you want to publish a book. Before that step, you must contact a publisher. Prior, you should have completed the book, which should be already edited. But first the novel needs to be written, which is after having the concept. All of this entails the use of a laptop and a software.
So, the first move is to have the software on the computer, conceive the idea, write, edit, proofreading, call a publisher and print the book. Shortly after, detail each of those steps by dividing them into subsets.
Every stage, every little effort, draws you closer to hit the bull’s eye. The more specific, the tinier the step, the easier it becomes.
Motivation and Discipline
Some people claim that to start something is the most difficult. It is not, but to keep going. Although an impulse makes the first move, discipline and perseverance never fail despite the adversities.
You must understand the difference between motivation and discipline.
Motivation kindles the flame, but doesn’t last too much. To keep the blaze burning, you have got to be disciplined. Discipline will make your lifelong dream happen.
So, create a disciplined routine to continue advancing on your action plan.
Such action plan is the one you created with the SMART technique or by going backwards with your specific goal. Follow that plan, every single step, and you will reach your aim. It must be specific; remember that.
Key Benefits of Change
Everything looks different at the onset, from the air you breathe and the smell of your surroundings, to the way you perceive the world. This new vision and purpose will influence your personal life, and love. You can have what you crave.
Change means progress. Fresh ideas and opportunities for your job or business spring to mind.
With daily minor adjustments, you get impressive results, for instance:
- In 30 days, you create a habit that could work for you in the next 30 years.
- Sixty minutes of workout gives you power the whole day.
- With three hours of reading, you get timeless knowledge.
- A different craft could make you millions.
Believe
The Bible says: “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have already received it, thus will be yours.”
But action is paramount. If you dream of being a writer, well, write. The same holds true for any path you choose; to be fit, exercise.
Launch that business you’ve had in your mind long ago. Do not wait till you are fully prepared. You will be prepared when you move.
What are you waiting for? Success begets success.
“You cannot cross a chasm in two small steps.” David Lloyd George.
If You See It in Your Mind, You Can Achieve It for Real
Vision is important. Imagine yourself with the look you wish, the house you want, your new way of speaking. Or giving that business presentation, talking to that client, opening the door of your new business.
If You Change, Your Life Follows Suit
Knowledge, wealth, and happiness won’t stop coming if you keep improving. With slight changes, you get outstanding results and potential benefits.
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