Achieving personal goals is a never-ending yet transformative journey that every individual goes through. It takes more than just a desire and ambition; it’s also about perseverance and the right mindset. Whether it’s a personal, professional, or academic objective, success depends on one’s commitment. No matter the difficulties ahead, it’s possible to achieve your goals if you’re ready to set yourself for it.
Psychology of Goal-Setting
Before you proceed with a Great Adventure toward your goal, let’s talk science. How do our brains work, what motivates us, and what can set us back?
Our brain’s reward system makes us want (or not) to set and achieve goals every day. When we establish and reach our goals, our brain releases dopamine — that neurotransmitter people sometimes call “feel-good.” It serves as a driver for motivating us to move forward and do more. Have you noticed feeling happier if you check items off your to-do list? Yes, that’s why.
However, we’re all human, and our minds favor instant gratification instead of long-term gains. That’s totally understandable, right? It’s tough putting aside something fun when our dream doesn’t even peak over the horizon. This requires sustained effort and regular steps to keep trying and achieve these objectives.
Everyone is driven by either intrinsic or extrinsic factors, but individuals should strive to seek that internal motivation within themselves for better results. Intrinsic factors come from within: desire to learn, passion, or a sense of purpose. Our team at the liven app teaches people to nourish this inner determination through practical tasks. Extrinsic, on the other hand, is about external influences like money, fame, or praise. But here’s the kicker: they will eventually vanish, and people cannot rely solely on them for inspiration to continue.
Setting the Scene
Now that the science is out of the way, it’s time to start. The single most important thing during this stage is determining your goal. People often feel they haven’t reached their aspirations, but that’s only because they didn’t formulate that right.
The first thing you have to do is make sure your goals are SMART:
- Specific. State your goal clearly. For example, instead of “I want to improve my writing,” write down “I want to finish my short story.” The first sentence doesn’t have an end date or anything you can measure your goal with, and the second one is clear.
- Measurable. You have to be able to assess how well you’re doing. If you can, use numbers. E.g., you can write, “I want to run 5 kilometers.”
- Achievable. Be realistic and kind to yourself. If you’re trying to reach something impossibly difficult or unreal, you’ll be frustrated with yourself.
- Relevant. This means your goal should be relevant and on time. If you are a nursing student, it’s illogical to set an aim like “Become a ballerina major.”
- Time-bound. Give yourself a particular timeframe — not to create pressure, but understand how to arrange your time.
Once you do it, begin with your Plan — yes, with a big P.
Step 1. Write down why that goal is essential. We’re talking big goals here. Why is it important for you to finish that project? Why do you want to learn how to learn that set of skills?
Step 2. List obstacles. Every goal has barriers, such as your lack of motivation or someone coming in the way.
Step 3. Provide an action plan. Try to go into details here. Divide your larger goals into smaller ones to make it easier, and allow yourself to develop your schedule.
Step 4. Develop your schedule. Take into account days you want to relax and do nothing, and make sure to create some “end dates” for situations when you need to complete your goal.
Romanticizing Your Journey
A secret that quite a few people consider when starting their path toward the goal is the role of romanticizing progress and improvement. We live in a world that seems boring and out of place, and doing routine things can get uninspiring. So, do a different thing. Make it fun and beautiful.
Imagine yourself as a character from a film you like. Are you preparing for an exam? Look at everything from the dark academic perspective. Do you need to improve your basketball skills? Put that headphones on and imagine you’re the next Micheal Jordan or Larry Bird.
The reality is that every movie you see goes through beautiful song choice and color filtering. What motivates people to do something is finally making themselves the main character in their own story.
Not only does this motivate individuals to enjoy their lives more, but it also serves as a strong driver, teaching them to center themselves in their system of values. Why should all the best things happen to fictional characters? Make all about yourself and your goals.
Overcoming Mental Barriers
Achieving goals is more than just planning — you’ve got to persevere against the challenges you meet along the way. Here are the most common challenges you can face and how to deal with them.
Beating Through Procrastination
Fear of failure, anxiety, and overwhelm can cause people to procrastinate. Try a 5-minute rule — do your task for just 5 minutes, which usually gives momentum and encourages you to keep going. Try timers to remind yourself about the passing of time or the famous Pomodoro Technique, both to remind you of times of rest and work.
Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome
Even most successful people sometimes stop doing something because they feel they aren’t “good enough.” Cognitive reframing is one of the most effective strategies to battle it; it encourages people to transform how they think about themselves. Another mental framework you can try is “Fake it till you make it.” Even if you don’t feel like you can, do it regardless. With time, you’ll notice getting more confident.
Dealing With Fear of Failure
Everyone fails. In fact, to achieve anything, you have to fail at least a few times. It’s the driver of progress. Take a piece of paper or even a poster and write down in big letters, “I allow myself to make mistakes. I will learn, and that’s okay.” This written permission will give you more confidence as you go. Try reframing again, reminding yourself that many famous people had a complex journey before they became famous.
Final Thoughts
People hoping to make their dreams a reality have to plan, adopt a new mindset, and keep in mind the end goal. Even the most exciting things will take some willpower and effort to achieve, but the result of seeing yourself succeed is worth it. Every success is a mix of preparation, daring, and effort. Over time, as you accumulate your small wins, they will turn into the big one — your dream.
