So you have decided to make a change. Is that something that you really want or is that something that someone or something else has convinced you to do. To make a change you really have to want to. So do you?
Setting Goals-How to Be Successful
Step 1: Choose. It is a choice to be healthy, fit, more disciplined, on time–whatever it is that you want to change about your behavior. Desiring is important. If you don’t want it, you won’t have it. Our actions are usually based on avoiding pain and suffering. But sometimes fear gets in the way, or we are in the need of immediate gratification that leads to pain and suffering in the long haul.
Step 2: Believe. You must believe you can be successful. Mindset is everything. If you believe you can do something, you can. No one fails at something unless they quit trying. Sometimes it helps to sit down and write out your beliefs. “I believe I can do anything I set my mind to” should be the first on the list. At the cellular level you need to “feel” it is possible.
Step 3: Define. Clearly define your goals and write them down. This helps confirm them, makes them real. Write them in the form of one short sentence. Make it perfectly clear. In fact not only write them down, but read them to yourself several times a day. In addition to writing down your goals, create a “vision” board. A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goal. Literally, a vision board is any sort of board on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life.
Step 4: List. Support your choice by making a list of all the ways you will benefit from achieving your goal, and get emotional. How do you want to feel after achieving this goal? Answer the “what”, “where”, “when” and “how” questions.
Step 5: Start. Create a start date. Ayurveda believes that spring, after the trees bloom, is the best time to manifest a change. At the same time the universe is changing. Get specific with a date and stick to it. I never start things on a Monday or the first day of the month. It keeps me out of the rut of time.
Step 6: Deadline. Set a deadline. When you have set your mind on a specific date, the body supports the mindset.
Step 7: Support System. Make a list of all the people whose help and cooperation you will require to achieve your goal. If you are trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle, try talking with an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor. They can help you understand how you work in harmony with the environment. For instance, my clients not only receive Ayurvedic knowledge, but because I am also certified as a Yoga Teacher, Pilates instructor, and Personal Trainer, plus I have been working on my Masters in Nutrition (western), I am like one-stop shopping and can look at your environment, diet, habits, exercise, and meditation and recommend a comprehensive program for you.
Step 8: Plan. Write out your plan of action. Now it’s time to write out in detail the entire plan: the steps you will take and when you will take them. This is when your goals first start to become real. If you are going to put consistent exercise into your plan, or begin to write a novel, write out when during the day you do this. Remember if it is a priority, and you always find time for the things you put first.
Step 9: Visualize. Visualize yourself participating in activities that provide you with energy and love for life. Picture how good you will feel when implementing your plan. Imagine your new life. Take time to do this each day. Right before bed is a powerful time to engage in visualization as well as first thing in the morning before the sun comes up.
Step 10: Commit. Never giving up is a major decision and you will want to make this choice before you start your plan? We all have days, or weeks, where we slip. The most important thing is that you realize this, and get back to the job at hand. Maybe you will need to write this commitment down as if you are signing a contract with yourself. Whatever it takes, find a way to stay committed.
Step 11: Persevere. Make the decision in advance that you will never, ever give up. Stay on task until you reach goal. “One more day”, is sometimes the mantra I use to keep going. You need to stick with your efforts for at least three months. This gives the brain time to re-wire, make the connections so that the effort doesn’t have to be that focused going forward, you just do it because that is what you do.
Step 12: Journal. Write about your experience. It will help to re-set your brain as well as give you a chance to digest the experience totally.
Remember you are a combination of every thought and action you have ever had. It takes a lot to change that environment, but with time and a little mindfulness, you will be able to make that shift and achieve your dreams.
Thanks for reading and sharing and be sure to check out some of my other blogs.
Namaste, Peggy