Life goals don’t happen overnight but are so worth the wait. Here’s how to keep working toward them.
So, you know what your life goal (or goals) is and have made a plan to achieve it. But after some time, you find your enthusiasm waning or are discouraged that you aren’t seeing results right away.
Over the last decade or so, we have become used to instant gratification—we get instant results from online searches, we can binge watch a whole season of a TV series in one sitting, pizza is quickly to our doors. But life goals take time.
I was bored with my office job, but I’d worked for the same company for over 20 years because we needed a steady income. But my life goal was to work for myself. I knew I would be happier self-employed, but I was unsure how to make that happen.
Then, my husband and I went to a garage sale one weekend. I found a hand-carved chess set for two dollars. When I went home and checked eBay, I found it was worth fifty dollars. The thrill of that inspired me to continue selling “treasures” on eBay.
I also began to get paid for writing, another life goal. It took years and more patience than I realized I had to reach a point where I was making enough money from both passions to leave my old job. I got discouraged many times but never gave up, even when it seemed impossible.
Now, I’m doing two things I love and get to do them at home while wearing pajamas! The following tips can help you stay motivated and persistent as you work towards your life goal. The reward will be worth the time invested.
1. Schedule the necessary time you can commit to your goal. Don’t put it at the bottom of your to-do list, or it may remain there, day after day. Depending on your goal, commit the appropriate weekly or daily time to it and then stick to the schedule.
2. Make your life goal plan a habit. Supposedly, it takes seven repetitions of the same behavior to make it a habit, so try to make working towards your life goal plan as much of a habit as washing your hair or loading the dishwasher. Don’t take an extended break or put it off indefinitely. You wouldn’t put off washing your hair for several weeks, right?
3. Multi-task when possible. A life goal of mine is to get healthy through diet and exercise. I used to postpone exercise with the excuse that I was too busy. I finally realized that wasn’t much of an excuse because I easily find time to talk with family or friends on the phone. Therefore, I made a rule that I can only speak on the phone while simultaneously exercising on my indoor bike. My needy best friend’s phone calls have done wonders for my thighs!
4. Use captive time to your advantage. Are you stuck in the doctor’s waiting room? Don’t get frustrated. Instead, use that time to be your own therapist and problem-solve what may be causing you to lose focus or become less motivated. Keep a small notebook in your purse to jot down ideas or suggestions to get back on track.
5. Visualize the end result. Remind yourself why you have made this your life goal. How will it improve the quality of your life? Imagine the day you reach your life goal. Is your doctor telling you that you no longer need blood pressure medicine? Are you and your husband sitting on the balcony of a cruise ship headed to Alaska? Will overdue bill reminders no longer show up in your mailbox? Are you receiving a diploma or certificate because you completed the education you need to obtain your dream job?
6. Celebrate the small achievements along your life goal journey. The larger achievement might seem so far away that it seems daunting. But each small achievement toward your goal is worth celebrating. And you can stay persistent if you know you are nearing your next reward. Have your outstanding debts decreased by $50? Have you lost five pounds? Have you put back $100 towards your retirement cruise to Europe? Have you exercised faithfully seven days in a row? Celebrate! Small achievements don’t have to cost much money. Allow yourself a two-hour vacay on your deck to read that book you want to finish. Meet a friend for lunch. Take your dog and husband out for a walk.
7. Don’t self-sabotage. Make sure your rewards are consistent with your ultimate goal. For example, don’t reward yourself with a $100 massage if your goal is to be debt-free. Celebrating with a banana split is a bad choice if your goal is to lose weight or get healthier. (My best friend and I would treat ourselves to pizza after our Weight Watcher meetings. Needless to say, it was a bad idea.)
8. Focus on how far you have come, not how far you have to go. If you choose to chart your success, great! But don’t let yourself become discouraged by only focusing on the end of the chart and how long it will take to get there. Instead, keep your eye on where you started and where you are now.
9. Accept setbacks and don’t use them as a reason to quit. Carry on. Forgive yourself. It’s easy to forgive your children if they mess up. Give yourself the same grace. So what if you regain a couple of pounds or have an unexpected expense and can’t send extra money towards your debts? Don’t panic, and don’t give up. As Apostle Paul would say, “Stay the course.”
10. Motivate yourself with Bible verses. Do you have a favorite Bible verse that inspires you? Post it wherever you need an extra dose of motivation. If your goal is health, then you might tape Philippians 4:13 on your fridge, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It could make it harder to open the door and grab a handful of Oreos instead of an apple. Another good verse, if your goal includes finances, is Jeremiah 21-“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” You may have other verses that inspire you. If so, post them in your journal or notebook for those times you need a motivational reminder. Better yet, memorize them. (My mother had Alzheimer’s, so I memorize my favorite Bible verses to both motivate me and exercise my brain.)
11. Lean on others for encouragement. Do you have friends or a spouse who share your life goal? Be each other’s support group when strength and persistence are needed. Let them know when you are down so they can lift you up, and vice versa.
12. Seek encouragement through prayer. God is the ultimate source of encouragement. Talk to Him during your prayer time or whenever you need extra assurance. Unlike a particular husband I know, God doesn’t need a hearing aid to listen. Express your feelings to Him. Ask for guidance or encouragement to strengthen you on your life goal journey. Then, stay the course.
