Like New Year resolutions, each year we seem to go through the motion of setting goals and lacking the ability to follow through. Most of the time, these goals are the "life-changers" we've put off until the perfect opportunity to make outrageous, hard-to-accomplish resolutions. Sometimes, by some stroke of luck or built-up motivation, we accomplish some of these goals, but many of them fall by the way-side of our lives.
But why does this happen? Why can't we stay motivated past the initial splendor of setting and starting goals? I believe that one of the answers is in the results. When we don't feel like our actions are having much effect, it is hard to apply the effort, especially at the beginning which requires the most effort.
As I see it, many of our goals aren't linear; they don't grow at a single rate, but start slow and pick up near the end. Projects which we start have various phases, such as goal setting, planning, development, testing and implementation. The biggest issue is the inertia which needs to be applied to change the direction which we were going in. Our personal goals are about improving or changing our character and can apply to anything from physical conditioning to learning a new skill. It takes repeated action to even begin to change how we react to certain events. Going to the gym and eating healthy is a lofty goal for someone who is accustomed to a certain diet, especially when cravings come into play. Investing your money is hard when you don't understand the words that are being used.
What I have found is that under stressful conditions, our bodies and minds will attempt to return to the most familiar condition of comfort. This will most likely be moments of relaxation when you weren't worried about what you were eating or what you were doing and your body will try to replicate it. Getting over this is the hardest part and relates to that non-linearity which I referred to earlier. Even for our mind, we rationalize that we could better spend our time doing something else, which may be more true than we think, but at what cost? We often find ourselves saying, "It worked before, I'll just do that."
So, the question then comes to how we are able to get away from stress conditions and find bliss in what we are doing. Use your strongest abilities. Each of us are different, but each of us are competing against ourselves. This means that you have to face your own complexes and habits. In other words, if you have a talent for arguing, use that to convince yourself that what you are doing is worth it. If not, then use something else, but the trick is to put yourself in the shoes you want to be in.
It seems that people are trying to hold on to so much of themselves that they are unable to progress in one aspect. We live dynamic lives that change each day as different parts of us change. To succeed, I believe that we have to throw ourselves in the motion, set your flag at the top of the mountain and see yourself already there, see yourself as the person that you are trying to become and then find joy in the adventure. We have all most likely seen a movie about a character who struggles to achieve a goal, but there is something that we can take from them. Determination. You need to want it, and you need to know you can get it.
The last aspect which I feel each goal needs is something at stake. This is the motivating factor. When you are wondering what the stakes are, ask yourself, "What will happen if I accomplish/fail at this?" Without a well defined goal, we don't see its importance. Look past the problem and at the solution. Know what you are fighting for, what the purpose is. Find it in yourself, not in others. Once you know it, and really know it, the simplicity of continuing will be self-evident.
I will say this, be smart about it. Don't compromise your health in some venture. Since each of us are different we are all at different places which different abilities. Sometimes it doesn't have anything to do with our motivation, but in the goals we set. If they are so far beyond your reach that you are going to lose before you get started, you're going to get discouraged. Think of the basics and start there. Progress in complexity until you've reached the end. Be good to yourself and learn along the way who you really are becoming.
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