Master Your Goals with These 4 Essential Questions
Dorottya Varga
HR Delivery Expert | Recruitment Specialist | Service-Oriented Problem Solver
At the beginning of January, many people become motivated to hit the gym, improve their relationships, and make positive changes in their lives. However, this motivation usually only lasts for a couple of weeks before people fall back into their usual routines. While some individuals can stick to their goals, the majority do not achieve their desired results.
It's possible that life is simply too difficult, or that we are too flawed to make significant changes. However, it's also possible that people are choosing the wrong methods or paths to achieve their goals. To avoid falling into this trap, ask yourself four honest questions to ensure that you are on the right track.
Shall I leave the whole thing to hell?
The success of achieving our goals is often determined before we even start working towards them. I'm not saying this to provide excuses for those who give up on their dreams but rather to draw attention to what makes a goal succeed or fail.
To avoid wasting time, energy, and peace of mind, it's important to ask yourself a question when formulating your goals. This question is more important than money because the resources we have are much more valuable than money. Money is just a tool to achieve our goals, but the goal itself can never be money.
The question you should ask yourself when setting your goals is: Does this inspire me? Is this really what I desire, what makes me feel better in my skin, what makes my life more beautiful? Is this my dream? Am I doing this from the heart?
If not, then it's not worth starting. If you're only doing it because of external pressure or to please others, then forget it. Save your resources for something more useful. If your decision didn't come from the heart, there's a good chance you won't succeed, or even if you temporarily achieve the goal, you won't stick with it in the long run. However, if this goal excites you to the point where you can't imagine your life without it, then nothing can stop you. If you haven't found such a goal yet, focus on introspection.
Take the time to find out what you desire, what truly excites you, and how you want to live your life. It's worth it. The essential thing is to embark on the journey with your whole heart, regardless of when you start working on your goals, on January 1st or October 9th.
Am I present?
Many are consumed by the pursuit of distant dreams, neglecting the joy of the journey. Even if goals are achieved, life is predominantly spent on the path to them. Time cannot be reversed, and moments with loved ones, including oneself, are irreplaceable. While hard work and persistence are crucial, incorporating habits that bring enjoyment is equally important.
Celebrate small successes, be kind to yourself, and practice mindfulness. Being present allows you to fully experience each moment, accepting both the good and the bad. While aspiring for more is natural, building on current foundations requires acknowledging the present reality.
So, ask yourself: Am I present in the moment?
To break from result-oriented thinking, envision never reaching your goal. Despite the journey, if the dream remains unfulfilled, does your life still hold beauty and happiness?
If so, you might be on the right path, paradoxically increasing the likelihood of achieving your goal.
Am I prepared to fail?
It's important to be realistic about your limitations. While I don't believe in the impossible, denying our limitations can be a dangerous trap. Many people fail because they mindlessly try something they are insufficient for, and then lose interest after falling a few times.
When they try again, with the same approach, they get the same result. However, these attempts are great for self-affirmation, as you can say you really tried, but didn't succeed because you weren't prepared enough. You didn't develop yourself to a suitable level, and you didn't learn from your failures. You wanted to jump too big, while your development path wasn't yet at that level.
Our limits aren't set in stone; we can keep pushing them further if we do it the right way. If we don't want to jump to the top of the mountain mindlessly, we should break the path into small steps.
领英推荐
Instead of asking yourself if you can fail on the way to your goals, ask yourself, "Am I prepared to fail?" Because if you're daring enough to dream big and not settle for mediocrity, it's almost certain that you'll fail a few times while working towards your dreams.
This is a time when you can assess the strength of your relationship with yourself. Do you hate yourself for failing? Are you making two problems out of one? Or can you still be a friend to yourself and accept that failure is just as much a part of life as success?
Do you grow and learn from your failures? If so, then it made sense for you to experience them.
What would I give for it?
Everything has a price. Although "free" is one of the most attractive buzzwords in marketing, you may have already learned that nothing is truly free. Even if you don't pay with your money, you may have to pay with your time, freedom or personal data. And if you don't have to pay for anything, someone else will pay for you.
Imagine a store where you can buy your dreams. Everything you want is available. But now that you know nothing is free, what price are you willing to pay for them? How much time are you willing to invest? How much money? How much work? How many nights are you willing to stay awake? How many missed meetings with friends, canceled family events, hours or days spent away from your loved ones?
These questions are not intended to judge you. Some people prioritize their goals over spending time with their children, while others use their children as an excuse for giving up on their dreams. There are many different paths to success, but the only question you need to answer is which one is right for you. How do you find balance in your life? Can you pursue your goals while still caring for the people who matter most to you? Can you maintain peace of mind, good health, and relationships filled with love? Can you tell the difference between short-term and long-term sacrifices?
These are questions that only you can answer for yourself. You will face them whether you choose to confront them or ignore them, but the latter will only lead to greater pain. So it's important to clarify in advance: What would you give to achieve your goal?
This is the key to finding both internal and external balance.
Summary
If you want to pursue your dreams and enjoy the process, ask yourself these four questions:
1. Does this inspire me?
2. Am I present in the moment?
3. Am I prepared to fail?
4. What would I give to achieve my goal?
I sincerely hope that you find what you are looking for in this life.
If this article was helpful to you, please share it with others who may benefit from it too.