Do You Have These Goal Getting Power-Ups?

By Teresa Hawthorne

Live healthier.  Stop procrastinating.  Get organized.  Write a book.  Start a business.

We all want to achieve something that makes our lives better. Sometimes it’s big, sometimes it’s small, but better, nonetheless. And when the desire for better grows into more than just a wish, we set goals to achieve it. With determination and our best intentions, we begin the journey toward our better place. But, even with the strongest resolve to arrive at better, some of our goals remain unaccomplished.

No one heads toward a destination with an intentional plan to never get there. So, what happens? Do you not want it bad enough? Are you not totally committed? Is it too hard for you? Do you want it to happen without putting in the work? Or, is something missing?

Often times, it’s the latter. There’s a missing component.

​To successfully reach your goals, you need a power supply.

We’ve already established the importance of developing goal sustaining habits to get you on the right path. And, if you’re truly ready to get to your better place this time, inject these power-packed components into your goal achievement system to propel yourself to success.
​
The Visualization Power-Up
​Focusing on your goals every day helps motivate you to keep going. One way to increase your focus is by using visualization. Use the power of your imagination to see yourself already where you want to be. What do you look like at your place of success? What are you actively doing? How do you feel? Envision the people, things, and activity around you. Add as much detail as you can muster. The more detailed your visualization, the more real your goals become.

​To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream;
not only plan, but also believe. ~ Anatole France

​Mentally seeing your goals already complete will strengthen your belief that the goals are possible and will increase your desire for their existence. Take a few moments each day to visualize your success and be inspired by the power it provides.

The Accountability Power-Up
Accountability is key when working to reach your goals. It means you take ownership of your goals and are willing to align your daily activity to make them happen. Holding yourself accountable can be challenging. If you find it’s a struggle for you, ask for help. Find a person to share your goals and progress with. The advantages of enlisting an accountability partner instead of going it alone include:

• Support to keep you on track and moving forward
• Clarity for your goals gained from discussing them with others
• Increased motivation and improved performance from having to report your progress.

An accountability partner will also offer encouragement in times when you’re discouraged, face obstacles, want to let yourself off the hook, and start to rationalize quitting. In the next week, identify the person you can partner with to get the extra power you need to reach your goals.

The Preparation Power-Up
If you’ve ever not completed a goal before, you likely know what got you off course. Prepare to push through the difficult times by developing a plan before they occur. To do this, make a list of the potential challenges you may face. Then, for each challenge create a written plan to overcome it. Be sure to review your plans along with your goals daily and weekly.

Life is going to happen. Knowing how you’ll cope before challenges arise will help you power through and set you up for success.

If you’ve struggled to reach your goals in the past, commit to approaching them differently this time. These goal-getting power-ups will give you the fuel you need to get to your better place.

Join the conversation! Like us on Facebook and let us know which of these power-ups you’re using to reach your goals this year.

Here's to Having ~ More Time. More Space. More Life.