Over the past few years, our society has gone through many changes, whether a new job working from home, finding a different place in life, or even making adjustments from losing a loved one. It may not be easy to take these steps in your life, you just need to take on these challenges to move into the next chapter. I want to share with you the 5 Steps I took to move forward and challenge myself.
Step 1: Set some Short-term Goals
We have all heard of those SMART Goals. These can be short-term or long-term goals. Since we are talking about overcoming challenges, these would be short-term goals.
Remember these goals are sustainable, measurable, attainable, and realistic, and have a time in which you want to achieve them.
The biggest thing here is the time. Short-term means a realistic time frame say, this month, this week, or even today.
Step 2: Surround Yourself with Good Mentors
This is easier to do than you may think. Evaluate the challenge of finding someone or some group of people who have similar challenges. Work together and learn from each other.
Recently I started a new career in my retirement. In a career I never thought I would be in, even people around me said “You’re doing what?”
I noticed the people around me who have been in the business for some time. Did a little self-research listening to the way they succeed in the business. Took a lot of notes along the way of good behaviors, while ignoring the bad. Placed my own personality on my presentation, and now I have recently surpassed the goal I set for myself for this year.
Step 3: Never Giving Up
Never giving up is something we learn at a very young age. Having the mentality we did when we were learning to walk is really nothing quite the same. Yet our parents worked with us every day, never giving up in hopes that someday we would be on our own.
All those days of never giving up eventually paid off. We started to walk a few steps, then a few more, then moved a little faster, and then began to run.
Step 4: Visualize Success
Let’s face a few facts, people like to see themselves succeed. Face this fact first and foremost. You will never see your name at the top of a leaderboard unless you can believe you are already there.
I found one thing that works best for me is to take 5 minutes a day, either in the morning or in the afternoon. I do something I never pictured myself doing in my 55+ years. This takes some time to master, but it works for you in more ways than one.
Find yourself a space where you feel safe and comfortable. Sit with your feet on the ground and your back straight. Focus on a sound, a spot in your vision, such as a spot on the wall. Think about your breathing while feeling the air as you inhale and exhale.
Close your eye after about 1 minute of focused breathing. Visualize where you can see yourself based on your SMART Goals. Do this every day for a few months until it becomes a routine.
Step 5: Start Over
Now, I don’t mean go back to square one. What you should do once you have succeeded in some of those SMART Goals. Reset your goals just one more step higher, create a new challenge, and maintain the focus on the challenges you are setting for yourself.
Remember the only true obstacle in your way is you.
KJS Travel 