We don’t want to scare you, but at the exact moment of writing this sentence, it is only 41 days, 6 hours, 52 minutes and 34 seconds until Christmas. Seriously.
However, a lot of us have already started to think beyond the big day. A lot of us have already started to think about the New Year and all the promise it brings.
If you’re planning on making some major life changes, the New Year holds a lot of inspiration and motivation. However, you don’t have to wait until January 1st in order to start achieving your dreams. You can get started right now. Really.
If you’ve got a goal or a dream that you’ve been putting on the back-burner for the vast majority of 2012, we encourage, no, wait, we DARE you to pick it up right now, dust it off and start making some serious headway with it before the year ends.
Here are ten super-easy steps that will help you achieve that dream faster than you can say “Happy New Year!” Ladies, get your motivation on…
Reach the finish line with a major goal or dream by the New Year
1. Get specific: Sit down right now, grab a pen and some paper and really think about what it is that you want to achieve. What is your biggest dream or goal? Do you want to learn how to drive? Lose weight? Raise money for charity? Whatever it is, write it down. Having a single goal will help you to focus your efforts.
2. Make a plan of action: How do you intend to achieve your goal? What steps do you need to take? Be as practical as possible. Say, for example, that your goal is to raise money for charity. Your plan of action would probably take the following shape: research different charities online, contact your chosen charity, decide what kind of fundraising you want to do and so forth.
3. Make a list of the steps you need to take in order to achieve your goal: Do you need to sign up for a course or learn a new skill? Will you need a teacher? Do you need to send out copies of your CV? List the small steps that will lead you to your main goal.
4. Take action: Start taking one of these little steps every single day until you reach your goal. Instead of worrying about achieving the end-goal, just focus on completing the small steps until you reach your destination.
5. Believe in yourself: Achieving a dream is never an easy feat and if your goal is to do something amazing, you may encounter some naysayers along the way. Simply ignore them and learn how to become your own biggest cheerleader. See yourself succeeding. Believe in your own ability.
6. Surround yourself with inspiring people: Read books about people who have achieved goals that are similar to your own, get online and start chatting with people who are on the same journey, spend time with friends who you know will encourage you. Chatting with like-minded people will give you a boost, especially if your motivation is starting to fail.
7. Have a plan b: Things don’t always go according to plan. If one of your plans doesn’t work, instead of giving up find a different way to approach the situation.
8. Visualise success: Allow yourself to daydream about what your life will be like when you finally achieve your goal. See yourself as having succeeded and use this vision to motivate you, encourage you and keep you focussed on your goal.
9. Stay positive: It’s important to always remain positive about your dreams. Your goals won’t be achieved overnight and they won’t happen without work. Always remain positive – this will help to keep you striving forward, especially if you experience any setbacks.
10. Celebrate the end: When you finally achieve your dream, make sure you celebrate in style. It required a lot of hard work to get there, so give yourself the credit that you deserve. Throw a party, celebrate with your friends and enjoy where you are.
