How to achieve goals?
I see a lot of people who become despondent when it comes to achieving goals, and in the process, they stop enjoying themselves. I’ve done it myself, I’ve focused too much on the idea of the goal, and less on the journey, and become frustrated and unhappy because of it. But I certainly learnt something from that process. I learnt that I wasn’t happy doing it that way, and I wanted to be happy, so I decided to take a different approach by changing my thinking and behaviour.
I watched a lovely documentary over the weekend about Sir Edmund Hillary and his conquest of Mount Everest. He is well documented talking about how he focused on the process of climbing the mountain, step by step, less the goal, the summit.
“…because of strong motivation, you keep plugging on and you seem to be going okay and nothing seems to be going wrong, so you persist. And we persisted, of course, and ultimately, set foot on the summit.”
If we can commit to the process rather than the goal, we tend to find are happiness levels are a little more consistent. We can find ourselves saying, ‘I will be in a better position when I have achieved the goal’, but this can put unnecessary stress and pressure on ourselves. Goals are useful as they can help to provide direction and propel us forward – we need to set goals in order to create a plan. But, by really focusing on the process, we are making gentle movement forward, enjoying the present moment, and improving step by step, at the same time.
Keep things simple and say to yourself ‘What one thing can I do today, or this week that will help me move towards my bigger goal?’ Be disciplined and stick to the process. You will enjoy the same results, but not allow yourself to feel the overwhelm of focusing on the far-reaching summit of that enormous mountain, and getting stressed because of it.
So you will need:
A Detailed step-by-step plan.
Desire.
Persistence.
Discipline.
Self-belief.
The ability to relax into it.
Good Luck!
I help people manage anxiety, stress and fear, and help them to achieve their goals using hypnotherapy. I am Registered Clinical Hypnotherapist based in Clifton, Bristol. BA Hons. DHP HPD CNHC AfSFH MNCH(Reg). MNCP (Accred.)
I have ten years of experience in coaching and Clinical Hypnotherapy; with a lifelong interest in mindfulness, neuroscience and extensive corporate experience. Cultivating curiosity and compassion over the years has helped me hone my approach and informs my work – with everyone from professionals suffering stress and a fear of public speaking, to world-class actors and musicians looking to improve their performance. I’m humbled by the courage, strength and transformations it’s been my privilege to witness. Read about the sessions, recent testimonials and keep up to date with recent blog posts here.
