Whether it’s a New Year’s resolution to get healthy or a deep-seated desire to do something great with your life, setting goals is something we do all the time. Goals allow you to become a better version of yourself and upgrade how you experience life. These personal milestones also help you determine if you’re making successful choices with your time.
Success isn’t determined by a great job or a million dollars in the bank. If you want to succeed, you need goals. Goals give you focus and a sense of direction for your life. They can be everyday goals, such as eating healthier or exercising three times a week. Goals can also serve as a benchmark, helping you determine where you are and where you want to be in the future.
Whether big or small, there’s a reason you want to accomplish these things. If you’re not sure how to achieve your goals, it all starts with commitment and a few practical steps to help you get started.
Steps to Achieve Your Goals
The first thing you need to do is define your goals. What do you want now, tomorrow and 10 years down the road? Once you know what your goals are, it’s time to create an action plan for how to reach your goals. Here are some steps to help you move forward toward the things you want for your life.
Don’t Settle for Fine
If you find your goals and dreams on the back burner, it could be because you’ve settled for a life that’s “fine.” Here’s your wake up call — setting goals is about working toward “good” or even “great.” If you’re in a subpar situation, whether it’s feeling unfulfilled at work or struggling with Substance Addiction, you’re going to have to put in some effort to change things up.
Identify What’s Holding You Back
Many people push aside their goals because of fear. Identify what’s holding you back from achieving your goals by writing down the worst thing that could happen if you fail. Seeing it in black and white can help you overcome your fears and go for it.
Break Up Your Goals Into Manageable Bites
Big lofty goals are great — lose 50 pounds, start a non-profit, quit drugs or alcohol or read 100 books in a year. However, many people abandon their goals because they’re too big, making them feel overwhelmed. If that’s you, change up your goal-achieving game plan.
Instead of one big goal, break it up into smaller, more manageable steps. Rather than quitting drugs cold turkey, follow through with the first step — call a rehabilitation center for more information about treatment. Or, work a daily visit to the gym into your routine instead of trying to lose a bunch of weight all at once.
Embrace Your Near Wins and Failures
Every “almost” or “not quite” is a goal you went for. Instead of counting those as failures, embrace these near wins and celebrate the fact that you pushed yourself. Let them serve as motivation to keep moving toward your ultimate goal.
Commit to Yourself
Commitment is at the core of achieving any goal. The only one who can make it happen is you. Sure, you’ll have help along the way, but you’re the one who has to put the hours in at the gym to lose weight or go to business school so that you can qualify for that promotion. Even if you fail, re-commit every single day. One year from now, you should be able to look back and see how far you’ve come.
How We Can Help You Reach Your Recovery Goals
Goals are important for everyone — they’re especially helpful for those recovering from Drug or Alcohol Addiction. When you come to 7 Summit Pathways, our personalized approach to your care involves developing and helping you reach healthy goals for your life and Recovery.
If you’ve made a goal to quit drugs or alcohol, now’s the time to do it. Schedule your appointment at 7 Summit Pathways to learn how we can help guide you every step of the way.