5 Simple Techniques to Hold on to your Goals

 Why do we fail?

Let’s keep it simple; do you struggle a lot to achieve your goals? Well, the answer is in affirmative. We all have to struggle once we define some goal. No matter how big or small the goal may be, the element of struggle is always there. So what exactly do we demand when we set up a goal; success, satisfaction, and stability, right? Whenever we plan things we always plan them with a positive perspective thinking of a win: win situation. If we plan so well then, why do we fail at times? Why do we lose that spark that ignites in us? Because life in itself is unpredictable; it comes in our way when we are least expecting it. Situations change abruptly, things get out of control and cause our plans to fail. Consequently, there is a loss of focus and concentration.

When this happens what we do is we play the blame game. When that spark is lost, we blame it on every other thing around us including our friends, family, gadgets, busy life, financial issues and the list goes on. But in reality, we are escaping ourselves. These things have always been there so what has changed? It’s you giving up your control and giving others the power to steer your life.

What’s after failure?

When you are faced with such a situation all you have to do is figure a way out to keep things in balance, minimize those external interferences and focus. Keep your mind and body healthy and balanced. A mind clouded with thoughts is always unable to focus so ,cut out the distractions; don’t let your thoughts stray away.

However, staying on track is not as simple and easy as it sounds. A study conducted at the University of Hertfordshire, London showed that every year 50 % of the people decide a goal for themselves as a New Year’s resolution, but the striking thing is more than 78% of the people fail to achieve their goal, the reason being a lack of focus and concentration. So it’s very important while setting up the goals that importance of the lack of focus hampering the achievement is considered and a strategy is made accordingly.

Focus gaining strategies:-

Each one of us becomes a victim of lack of focus at some stage in life so here is the good news that you are not alone; moreover, there are ways of overcoming it. Below listed are some of the techniques that can help you make it through your journey. If followed properly and consistently, you shall see a considerable improvement in your focus and a striking difference in your performance. This will add to your confidence and give your motivation a boost.

1. Prioritize: Having so many goals sounds awesome, but the truth is that you cannot focus in different dimensions at the same time, so you have to keep the list small. Achieve a few goals then move on to the rest; don’t take too much at once.
   It’s better to invest your maximum potential and energy in a narrow range than to spread it in so many directions such that you end up achieving little in all the goals when you have the chance of facing each and every one of it by taking one goal at a time.
   Make a list of all your goals keeping the most important ones at the top. Decide a period in which you plan to complete them and follow. Remember; don’t discard the goals that are not at the top, once you complete those at the top they’ll automatically make their way up the list. In the end, you will realize that you have achieved it all.
2.  Divide and rule:Let’s imagine you have to conquer a state how do you think you would do that? Obviously by taking small steps; first conquering the cities and finally moving on. How about I ask you to build an aircraft? The foremost steps will include acquiring blueprints, gathering the materials, selecting the right tools so on and so forth. Same goes for the bigger goals you cannot achieve them at once. You will have to make smaller goals out of the bigger ones. Arrange your goals in a way that the goals first on the list are the subsets of a bigger goal so that when you achieve them you see yourself making progress at a level. Following this chain of subsets, you shall ultimately complete your bigger goal.
3. Check and balance Managers: Yes, who are they? Why do you need them? They are no aliens; rather they are your loved ones, your family your friends. They are the people you respect and value. So what is their role? They help you maintain focus and not to lose enthusiasm when faced with difficulties, failures, and stressful situations. When you brag about your achievements in front of them you get acknowledgment, and that acknowledgment gives you confidence of holding on to your dream. They celebrate your success and advise you when you need it the most. Not until your goals are personal, it’s always good to have people around who are concerned because that lets you stay focused.
4. Keeping track of your progress: Success in achieving a goal comes with the progress that you make when you start from scratch. This makes keeping a record of your progress important so that you know how much you have achieved? How far have you to go? And is everything going by the plan or amendments is to be made? This is only possible if you develop a habit of keeping a journal for your goal. The journal has all your achievements, you feelings, your plans and target written at the same place which makes it easier for you to analyze and decide your next step. Moreover, it’s a source of excellent feedback for you. You can always go back, skim through it, make changes in plan and decide your future steps in the light of your past experiences.
5. Feed your brain: By it, I mean feed it with the purpose of setting a particular goal. Never let your mind forget the reason you decided to do a particular thing. Let your subconscious work for you; utilize its immense power for keeping that motivation alive. The brain processes picture memory; it has nothing to do with that whole film, it works frame by frame just like a movie maker. That’s the hook! Feed it with the pictures of the purpose that made you set the goal. For that take a poster board, any electronic board even the bare wall of your room would suffice, and fill it with pictures all over. Create that environment so that when you are not thinking consciously your brain is doing the work for you at subconscious level helping you maintaining that motivation.

Consistency is the key. Most people fail not because they do not have the required level of knowledge, skill or strategy to achieve a goal but because they give up on it. They stop trying. People lose the courage to get up after a failure. They give in to their fate easily, lose focus and repent later. The choice is yours to make; do you want to be among those who achieved what they dreampt of? Or those who gave up just because they surrendered to their lack of focus? At the start of every goal the enthusiasm is at its peak and one feels like taking over the world all at once but that rush soon goes away; that’s the critical time where you lose focus and take the path of those who dream, give up and then repent. Following these simple techniques, you can help yourself through your journey staying focused.