Reaching long-term goals can be challenging, especially when you face obstacles, distractions, or setbacks along the way. How do you keep yourself motivated and focused on your desired outcomes? In this article, we will explore some strategies and tips to help you find and maintain your motivation for achieving your long-term goals.
One of the key factors that motivates people to pursue long-term goals is having a clear and meaningful purpose behind them. Your purpose is the reason why you want to achieve your goal, the value or impact it will have for you or others, and the vision you have for your future. By identifying your purpose, you can connect your goal to your core values, passions, and aspirations, and use them as a source of inspiration and direction.
Staying motivated until reaching your long-term goals isn't easy. You may feel disheartened when you don't see results as expected. So, it's important to identify your purpose first and then set SMART goals. Remember that not everything goes as planned, so be ready for the challenges. I always reward myself for my small wins; it motivates me to work harder to fulfill my dreams.
I know it may sound cliché but one of my favorite statements is "How do you eat an elephant? A bite at a time" From my experience, if your are going to achieve any long term or huge goals you are going to have break it down into small achievable tasks. As huge as the goal may be, every small completed task will motivate you to keep going
One of the Motivating factor that helps reach my long term goals are having passion (of learning) with patience. Long term goals shall be identified, prioritized and divided. To achieve the continual growth it is well necessary.
One thing I have found helpful in the journey towards achieving my goals is my tirad of beliefs - Belief in myself, belief in my dreams and belief in my God. Holding onto these beliefs keep me grounded and help me stay on course when challenges try to make me doubt my purpose. So, do you believe in your dreams? In yourself? If you don't, it is time to ask why and then begin to work on what you discovered to be the why.
It is really useful to connect with what we will experience when we reach the goal whilst also breaking it down into manageable pieces and celebrating the small steps along the way.
Another way to boost your motivation for reaching long-term goals is to make sure they are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. SMART goals help you define what you want to accomplish, how you will measure your progress, whether your goal is realistic and attainable, how your goal aligns with your purpose and priorities, and when you expect to complete your goal. By setting SMART goals, you can break down your long-term goal into smaller and more manageable steps, track your performance and results, and celebrate your achievements along the way.
When your goals are somewhat outside of your control, measure your actions. For example, if your goal is $25K in sales per month, start by measuring your actions that will move the needle. How many leads generated, how many sales conversations, etc. Focusing on things that are 100% within your control helps you feel like you are in the drivers seat.
Setting goals is important if you make sure that they bring your forward, step by step, on your way to fulfill your vision of a desired future that's fulfilling your purpose. The goals will take you there but only as long as you focus on the vision that will motivate you every day
In embarking on my academic journey, I meticulously crafted a SMART goal, setting a clear roadmap for my success. I delved into the intricate world of leadership studies, aiming not just for excellence, but for a profound understanding of leadership dynamics in schools. I actively participated in workshops and seminars, enhancing my practical skills. Concurrently, I started narrowing down my research focus, identifying key areas for exploration within school leadership. During the second year, I immersed myself in intensive research, conducting interviews and case studies within school settings. I collaborated with experienced educators, gaining valuable insights. Simultaneously, I enrolled in specialized courses, refining my expertise.
SMART goals are necessary, but not sufficient. We need to set SMART?ER goals. E - ecological. Goals that are in congruence with our other goals and our core values. R-rewarding. Goals that are deeply rooted in our core personal values.
A great way to achieve your SMART goals is to look at them as growth goals. This way you can track your growth journey as you achieve milestones. And you can also monitor your personal transformation, which indelibly registers in your mind and spurs you to keep moving.
Reaching long-term goals can be easier and more enjoyable when you have a support system that encourages and helps you along the way. Your support system can include people who share your goal or have similar interests, people who have achieved your goal or have relevant experience, people who can provide you with feedback, advice, or resources, and people who can hold you accountable and keep you on track. By finding your support system, you can benefit from their knowledge, skills, experience, and perspectives, and also share your challenges, successes, and learnings with them.
It is just as important to find your cheerleaders as it is to find your "real friends" - partners who will call you out on your BS and remind you what you set out to accomplish, not telling you "it's OK" when you list excuses.
And remember that your support system can also be culture. The right artist, the right YouTuber, the right book or author can all pick you up when you are struggling,
Accountability partners are a must for following up with us for our long-term goals. Small wins should be celebrated after certain milestones with accountability partners. This leads to motivation after each achievement.
When you're in for the long haul surround yourself with people who have gone before you and those that are just in front of you. They can advise you of the pitfalls. They also show you that you can do it too! Share your thoughts - they mostly like had them too, and importantly, understand.
A support system is particularly important for people who are Obligers (as per Gretchen Rubin's four tendencies classification). Obligers are people who are very good at meeting external obligations but struggle with internal. In my coaching experience, Obligers often fail at long-term internal commitments unless they build a strong accountability/support system. It could be a community or an accountability coach. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps tremendously to set up the necessary practices and tools to successfully reach your long-term goals.
Another effective strategy to motivate yourself to reach long-term goals is to reward yourself for your efforts and achievements. Rewards can be anything that makes you happy, satisfied, or proud, such as a treat, a compliment, a break, a hobby, or a recognition. By rewarding yourself, you can reinforce your positive behavior, acknowledge your hard work and progress, and increase your self-esteem and confidence. Rewards can also help you overcome procrastination, boredom, or frustration, and keep you excited and engaged in your goal.
I love this. It’s the most important for me because it keeps me motivated even when things get busy or complicated with juggling multiple matters and dealing with complex issues and pressures.
Setting mini goals and rewards for reaching those benchmarks is a great strategy. Also, including someone in that commitment. Make the massage appointment, so you have to break it if you miss the goal.
Rewards are tricky. Research shows that they can hinder internal motivation and success. The best way to include reward into your long-term goal achievement process is to design the process itself as a reward = to make it enjoyable.
I've learned that rewarding oneself is vital to sustain motivation, and here's a unique way to do it - create a 'Joy Jar.' Every time you achieve a goal or make progress, write it down on a note and put it in this jar. It serves as a visual reminder of your achievements and a source of motivation when you need it. But remember, moderation is key. You don't want to reward yourself so often that it becomes a habit itself and interferes with your progress. The size of rewards should also align with the effort and significance of your goal. Rewards are powerful, but they're just part of the journey. Stay consistent, stay committed, and keep pushing forward.
You don't only have to wait till after you have completed a task to reward yourself; you can reward yourself just by getting started. Pair something you don't enjoy with something you do enjoy. Here are a few examples: 1. Watch your favorite TV show whilst folding the laundry. 2. Listen to a podcast while you clean the house. 3. Sit down with a hot coffee as you tackle your emails. Eventually, the task at hand won't seem so bad and actually quite enjoyable.
Finally, one of the best ways to maintain your motivation for reaching long-term goals is to review and adjust your goals regularly. Reviewing your goals means evaluating your performance, results, and feedback, and reflecting on what worked well, what didn't work well, and what you learned. Adjusting your goals means making changes or improvements to your goals, plans, or actions, based on your review and current situation. By reviewing and adjusting your goals, you can learn from your experience, overcome challenges, and optimize your strategies and methods.
One way that I have found to help me become consistent in reviewing and adjusting is setting an appointed time to do this twice / thrice a week. I call it my reflection moment. I do it at night just before I go to bed when all is quiet and I can really think deeply. In addition to reflecting on what went well and what I learned, I reflect on the to-do ahead and what needs adjusting or overhauling. A very valuable exercise indeed.
This is critical. The most successful people I know are able to stay open minded while staying focused. I.e. If something isn’t working - and you’ve tried everything you can - don’t be afraid to move on. Too many people worry about the sunk cost effect but it can do more harm than good. Keep reviewing your metrics and KPIs and use data to drive you forwards and make decisions. That’s key for business but also for your personal career trajectory as a whole.
Reviewing and adjusting goals is like tuning an instrument. You gotta keep fine-tuning to hit those high notes. Set SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Remember, it's your game, you set the rules! Hit an unexpected obstacle? Time to pivot! Priorities shifted? Adjust your sails! Need to recalibrate? Do it! Goals are like clay, they're meant to be molded as you grow. Don't get discouraged when things change. That's life! Embrace it, learn from it, and keep moving forward. Use tools like a journal or a vision board to track your progress and remind yourself of your why.
What works best for me is to review my goals daily! And then every night I journal and ask myself this question: "What can I do tomorrow to help me get closer to achieving my goals?"
I ensure my goals are tied to my life's vision and a WHY that is authentic to me that way I stay focused for the long term. I also use visual aids like a vision board which can be digital. A lot of journaling and strategies like the POMODORO technique which you can use an app for. I also use time boxing as a way to stay focused and task accountable.
Positive reinforcement. Celebrating small wins and milestones along the way can provide a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue pressing forward to achieve the bigger goal in mind.
Don't pin your sense of happiness, achievement or identity to attaining your ultimate goal. That's a recipe burnout. Celebrate your learning and growth along the way as well as at the end.
Adding novelty to your goals. People start feeling stuck or having mundane days when things become stale and repetitive. Finding ways to add novelty to your day to day will help you achieve your goals. Ask the leadership team to give you the opportunities to: 1) Work on new parts of a project 2) Train staff on how to improve their skills 3) Go on sales meetings to see what the sales team does to increase sales 4) Request to shadow other partners within the organization so that you can understand the big picture 5) Ask your boss to give you some of their responsibilities. Doing new tasks helps you become more creative and gives you visibility, which will help you meet long-term goals.
@Ojiugo Ajunwa MBA,PMP,PHD Great! The use of Technology Tools is nember 3 on My List--Two others are in terms 2. Prioritize and delegate through Collaboration and Build and nurture a support network (Authentic Communication)