By Executive Coach, Karen D. Nutter
Do you know anyone who wouldn’t like to achieve more? It seems everyone I know would like to achieve more success, more love, more recognition, or more peace in their life. Many people have great ideas, and great intentions of turning those ideas into something enriching and valuable but doing so can become a daunting task. There are usually several steps required in any accomplishment, and when there is a lot of minutiae required prior to seeing any real results, even the most exciting projects can lose their appeal. So, how can we overcome stagnation and achieve more?
Having spoken with and coached countless people, I have found one of the most common roadblocks to success is an inability to stay focused and dedicated to a primary goal. Finding and keeping your focus is the first step in achieving your goals. To do that, I like to start with WHY?
I recommend making a list of whys, and thoroughly looking at your reasons. Sometimes, we decide we want a particular achievement because we think we’re “supposed” to, but when we are really honest with ourselves, it isn’t something we truly care about. If we try to push ourselves to accomplish something that isn’t in line with our personal values and intrinsic motivators, we are not likely to complete the task, or, if we do, it probably won’t be our best work. So, it’s really important that you make sure the goal(s) you’re pursuing are things YOU really want to spend time on, and not “shoulds” you have accepted from other people or forced upon yourself.
To further clarify your focus, ask yourself WHAT achieving the goal will do for you.
If your Why and What don’t align, and you’re having trouble staying focused on your goal, maybe it’s not the right goal for you. On the other hand, if your answers reinforce your dream and make you want to keep pursing it, you are on the right track and now we just need to keep you moving forward!
Staying dedicated to a goal, even one that ignites us, can be challenging at times. To stay focused and dedicated,
Anything you want to achieve starts with a clear focus, a dedicated mindset, and persistence. If you’ve been struggling to actualize your success, don’t feel bad. While some people are so clear about their dreams and goals that they seem to easily visualize and achieve them, most people find it challenging to accomplish their personal and professional goals. Whether you need to overcome procrastination, or refuel your motivation, find your focus and do something every day to stay dedicated to your vision. Before you know it, you’ll be celebrating your accomplishment!