Are we Just Six-Steps Away From Achieving Our Goals?

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With unlimited career choices, education options, and opportunities at our feet every day, it can be quite the challenge to gain the clarity needed to reach our goals. Things get in the way, indecision plagues our minds, and self-doubt and fear of the unknown reach in and strangle our motivation. The amazing thing about the entire situation is that we’re actually only ever six steps away from achieving our goals. That’s right; just six steps away. Unfortunately, none of us are gifted with foresight, leaving the road ahead full of uncertainty and doubt. Steve Jobs, the founder of a little company called Apple, put it best during his 2005 commencement speech at Harvard University: 

“Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

None of us knows what will occur in the future, and while it may seem uncertain and even frightening, our goals serve as a catalyst through which to channel our courage and push us into the unknown. Often, the things we find the most frightening aren’t scary at all. 

A Bold Step Forward 

So, what is that much-anticipated first step that will help catapult you into your ultimate destiny? The truth is, step one is simply the here and now. Whatever you’re doing right now, whatever you’ve done up to this point, all of the plans you’ve made, that is step one. When you want to get productive, it starts with a plan. Step one is knowing what you want and thinking hard about how you want to get there. 

Remember that you can only ever see one step ahead of you. You can’t see step six, because it’s not within reach yet, and you can’t see the future. But once you conquer step one, then two, and so on, pretty soon you’ll be at step five; looking step six dead in the face. You might need help to get there, and that’s ok! There are people who have gone through the exact process that are willing to provide change my business coaching, personal growth coaching and more. Utilize these resources to make your first step forward an impactful one. 

Master Self-Discipline 

As you travel along in your journey to the coveted final step, you’re going to come across people, things, and situations that will test your discipline and your commitment to your goals. Whether your ultimate goal is weight loss or to get profitable, you’re going to find temptation has a way of infiltrating your mind and setting roots there. 

Self-discipline is the ultimate tool in reaching one’s goals. Without self-discipline, you won’t be able to wake up early like you should, eat right, or master any other good habits that will be some of the most important tools for reaching your goals. Focus on self-discipline, master it, and use it to your advantage, and you’ll find that your endeavors are much more successful overall. 

Fear of the Unknown

The fear of the unknown is what holds a lot of people back from reaching their goals. Fear is ultimately a motivator; whether it’s for good or for bad. The best thing to do when fear takes hold is to learn to channel it to your purpose. Think about someone who is in danger, whether it be from a natural disaster or a violent attack or some other threat.Fear is what motivates that person to seek shelter, help, etc. In this case, fear is a good thing; it keeps the victim from coming to harm. Fear is the most powerful motivator of all. 

We can apply this same principle in our daily lives. If you’re afraid of failing, use that fear to motivate yourself to do better. If you’re afraid of what step four or five might entail, embrace it as a new experience. There is always a choice to be made, and there are thousands of resources available both online and off to help you. Whether you need business coaching or a short and sweet speech from a trusted friend, the help you need is ever only a phone call or click away. 

There is Always More  

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about the six-step system is that step six (that coveted step you’ve been working towards for months or even years now) isn’t the end. You can reach what you thought was your “ultimate goal”, and while you’ll probably feel satisfied and fulfilled, life doesn’t end there. In fact, you’ll likely acquire a new sense of purpose and direction once you complete that first goal, opening new doors for great opportunities and even more goals to reach. 

Life doesn’t end at the completion of one goal. As you move forward in your career, your business, and or your personal growth, there will be dozens of goals that arise that you’ll need to meet with courage and determination. Some will be difficult, some will be easy, but they will all have an impact on how you approach future goals. 

The Bottom Line 

At the end of the day, we’re only six steps away from achieving even our biggest goals. Although none of us can see into the future, fear should act as our motivator, not an inhibitor. Remember that self-discipline is the key to reaching those goals, and can even help you conquer fear and use it as a tool to reach your goals. Don’t be afraid to ask for help where you need it, and remember, even though you can only see one step ahead, once you reach the next step, another piece of the puzzle comes into view. Keep pushing forward, maintain your courage and self-discipline, and learn to master fear, and nothing will hold you back from your greatest potential. 

Sources:

1. https://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/

2. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287005

3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-main-ingredient/200909/the-most-powerful-motivator

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About the author: Kyle Kalloo is the Chief Executive Officer and Business Coach with Change My Life Coaching, Co-Founder of Change My Business Coaching and creator of the Get Profitable, Get Productive (GP2) Business Success System.  Through his management training and experience with McDonalds, Famous Players (Paramount) and WestJet, and with the ongoing learning and development he’s completed, Kyle has refined and perfected business success skills. He is eager to share how to execute them efficiently to help individuals and companies achieve even more of their dreams and create lasting change.  83% of Kyle’s business comes from referrals.