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How to Achieve Your Goals: 5 Steps for Succeeding In Life

Monday, November 17, 2014

achieve your goals

I’m sure most of us have goals we want to accomplish in life.

But how many of us are actually taking the necessary steps every day to achieve these goals?

Without a plan and real action for achieving your goals, your chances of getting what you want in life are greatly reduced.

If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life. – Abraham Maslow

If you have goals in life but you’re growing frustrated with less-than-stellar results and constant setbacks, then you are in the right place.

That’s because I will share with you the exact steps you must take to achieve your goals.

I will help you on this important journey because I’ve been in your shoes.

I know what’s it like to be unhappy and frustrated with seeing little to no progress or not having the time and energy to really do the things you want to do.

Those days are over, because I am here to help you and today is your day to start on your goals.

You are reading this for a reason

It’s no accident you are reading this right now.

Whether you know me personally or not, or if you clicked on this link via the newsletter, search engine, or social media, you’re here right now reading this for a specific reason.

And what is that reason?

Simply put, it’s now the right time –YOUR time– for you to unlock the unlimited potential for greatness that lies within you. The door is wide open. Take the first step right now and read this useful article (then read it again).

Right now is the best time for you to begin laying the foundation for your kingdom of success.

And this foundation begins with the goals you can achieve using the five steps I am about to share with you.

But first, a warning…

Before I share with you the five steps for achieving your goals and inviting success into your life, I must warn you.

The journey to success is not an overnight trip.

It is long, grueling, tedious, and filled with many obstacles, detours, and other setbacks.

These are purposefully set in place to ensure that in the end, you will have the strength, perseverance, and courage to handle the great responsibility that comes with success.

Over time, as you continue to accept and overcome the inevitable challenges and push past your fears, you will achieve more goals.

And as you achieve your goals, you will unlock more opportunities that would’ve remained sealed if you never decided to try and achieve your goals in the first place!

If you have goals in life, then you are in the right place. I’m happy you’re here and honored to be a part of your journey.

 

How to Achieve Your Goals:

5 Steps to Creating Success in Life

 

5. Write down your goals everyday

Write down your 10 goals everyday and you'll be amazed at what happens next.
Write down your 10 goals everyday and you’ll be amazed at what happens next.

I first learned this powerful goal-achieving technique from professional sales expert and author Brian Tracy.

If you are truly serious about achieving your goals, then you must commit to this simple yet extremely powerful technique for achieving virtually anything you want in life.

All you need are just a few minutes everyday (preferably in the morning, before you start your day), a notebook (I highly recommend Moleskine notebooks), and a pen.

On a blank page in your notebook, write down 10 goals you want to achieve in your life.

Studies have shown that people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve and earn more income than those who did not have written goals.

When writing your 10 goals, it is critical that you follow these 3 important instructions:

  1. Start with “I”
  2. Write them in the present tense
  3. Use a positive, rather than a negative, voice

Your 10 goals may look something like this:

I earn $X dollars per year.

I weigh X pounds.

I start a business.

I write a useful blog.

Why is writing down your goals so effective in helping you achieve them?

When you write something down, you are programming your subconscious mind on exactly what you are seeking in life.

Your subconscious mind is the part of your brain that stores memories and coordinates your movements and actions accordingly.

For example, you subconsciously know that fire is hot, so you consciously try to avoid it in order to not get burned.

Writing down your goals introduces them to your subconscious mind, which then influences your conscious mind to direct you to take actions needed to achieve these goals.

Why do you need to write your goals in a positive voice using the present tense?

The most efficient way to program your subconscious is by using commands in the present tense using the positive voice. That’s because the subconscious mind can only understand commands given in this way (remember, it’s not like your regular, conscious mind).

It’s similar to a martial arts instructor teaching the students a new move by saying “Do this kicking technique like this” instead of “Don’t do this kicking technique like this“. Your subconscious mind can only comprehend the more straightforward, positive command.

Writing down your top 10 goals every day will help you subconsciously do the actions needed to achieve your goals.

And goals that are backed with action are typically goals that are achieved.

4. Align your actions with your goals

After writing down your goals every day, you’ll quickly find that the actions you subconsciously take will point you in the right direction for achieving your goals.

As important as taking action is making sure these actions are aligned with the actual achievement of your goals.

For example, let’s say your goal is to start your own business.

The actions you may take in achieving this goal might include things like getting more education and gaining valuable experience in the things you’ll need to know when running your own business.

You might take a class, work for someone else in the type of business you want to start, or get mentored by people who have achieved what you are trying to do.

These are actions that align with your goal of starting your own business.

If your goal is to become a better salesperson and consistently meet or exceed your sales quota, then you may align your actions with this goal by:

What cannot be measured cannot be improved

It is also a good idea to measure and track your progress in achieving your goals.

If you work in sales and your goal is to close more deals, this is fairly easy to do since you can track how your sales have increased since you started on your goal of selling more.

The only way to know for certain if you are truly getting closer to achieving your goal is by measuring, tracking, and evaluating the things you are doing to achieve your goal.

Depending on your goal, it may make sense to do this tracking and measuring on a weekly or monthly basis to determine what actions have been working (or not working).

3. Set a schedule for getting closer your goals (not a deadline for achieving them)

Looking for more inspiration, motivation, and direction on how to sell? Then check out the sales master Zig Ziglar!

Many times, we might have a goal in mind, but since we have never done anything like it before, we do not know how long it will take.

So we set arbitrary deadlines to achieve our goals that we may (or may not) hit.

When we miss the deadline, we might feel frustrated or disappointed in failing to achieve the goal in the timeline we allowed ourselves. And this negative experience may make us hesitant to try new things again.

Writer and entrepreneur James Clear recommends a powerful technique you can apply to help you stay on track for achieving your goals.

Why deadlines are dead (and what you should do instead)

Clear recommends an alternative to the old-school method of setting a deadline for your goal to be accomplished (and possibly missed).

Instead try setting a schedule where you consistently work towards achieving your goal.

I’ve recently done this for a personal goal of mine and seen good results. I wanted to get in better shape and drop some pounds I’ve put on in the past few months.

To achieve my goal of getting healthy again, I added CrossFit and yoga to my weekly workout routine.

By setting a schedule where I consistently take actions to achieve my goal of losing weight, I am getting closer to my goal and while measuring my progress.

Had I simply given myself an arbitrary period of time (like a month) to drop 20+ pounds without a consistent routine/schedule, then I surely would’ve failed in achieving my weight loss goal and probably would’ve given up on the idea entirely.

Instead, I am enjoying my new exercise routine and getting healthier in the process while burning fat and gaining muscle in the process.

That’s why scheduling consistent progress towards achieving your goals is more effective than setting hard deadlines.

Commit to consistently working towards achieving the goal and you will ensure a more focused and enjoyable journey for reaching it.

2. Embrace failure as part of the process for achieving your goals

It’s been said that the road to success is paved in failure. Look into the past of any great historical figure or entrepreneur and you will see extensive resumes littered with multiple failures:

I’ve also faced numerous failures in my own life and career.

Before working in sales for Cangrade, I was a failed freelance writer and line cook. And before that, I had a bunch of different jobs including copywriter, software programmer, corporate trainer, IT support specialist and other random gigs which never panned out.

However, all these jobs and the knowledge I gained from each experience, both good and bad, has provided me with the practice I need to achieve my next big thing.

Think of failure as this: a learning experience and valuable lesson that no book or class can teach you.

Because many times in life, it’s your failures which hold the valuable knowledge you need to unlock success and achieve your goals.

Do not let your fear of failure hold you back from trying to achieve anything you want in life.

The worst that can happen is you will fail while learning new knowledge and gaining valuable experience.

And that will get you closer to achieving your goals and in a much better position than the person who was too scared to fail and never got off the couch.

1. Don’t quit


How many times have you tried and failed at something before finally getting the hang of it?

Just by having a goal and taking action to achieve it, you are already halfway there.

If you truly want to achieve your goal, and you have followed each of the steps I’ve shared above, then you will absolutely achieve them.

The only thing that is stopping you is you.

“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

If you maintain your enthusiasm for your goal and make a commitment to keep going no matter what, you can achieve anything you want in life.

Things like failures, setbacks, and difficulties will inevitably come up. So don’t be surprised when they do.

Instead, expect them. Learn from them. And keep pushing past them because on the other side of fear, failure, doubt, and worry lies success. YOUR success.

After all, nothing worthwhile is easy, and nothing easy is worthwhile.

If you believe in your goal and follow these steps, then you will achieve every goal you set for yourself.

It might not happen overnight, but it will happen.

Never quit!

Conclusion

Goals are the things you want to achieve in life that will will ultimately make you happy.

They’re the essential building blocks of a successful and more meaningful existence.

Without goals and the will to achieve them, you’re like ship without a rudder to control the direction you want to go.

You are not in control.

You will go wherever circumstances take you.

And these places are usually far from where you truly want to be.

But if you have goals, then your life will become a path that leads to your true happiness and success.

Get started today on your path to success. You have the map in your hands right now.

Are you ready to take that first step today?

Do you want to start achieving your goals and living the life you’ve always wanted?

What are you doing today to make your dreams a reality tomorrow?

How can you achieve your goals?

If you liked this article, please comment below and share it on social media!

photo credit: Linx Entertainment (www.nightclublinx.com) via photopin cc

 

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James K. Kim About James K. Kim
I am a former archery technician turned freelance digital marketer. I help people build profitable businesses online. You can learn more about how to build a profitable online business at JamesKKimMarketing.com. In my free time I enjoy the ancient sport of archery, sport crossbow target shooting, deep sea fishing, day hiking, recreational kayaking, high intensity weight training, ice hockey, and outdoor cooking. Let's connect on social media:

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    1. Thanks, Ian! I usually come up with a quick outline in 10 minutes, then take an hour or two quickly write up a VERY rough draft (no links, no formatting, just capturing all the ideas before they’re lost forever). Then I step away from it for a full 24 hours to let it marinate.

      With fresh eyes, I’ll step back in and take another few hours to revise into a second draft, then step away for another 24. Finally, I’ll come back to it and spend a few more hours adding final touches and polish before it gets unleashed to the world to read, learn, and DO!

      So maybe 10-20 hours or so per post. I love to write and share my knowledge to help others find success (same as you, homie. That’s just how we do what we do!)

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