New Year, New You: Part 3

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” If you really want to be a new person, or accomplish new goals for yourself or your family, you must simply DO SOMETHING. It doesn’t matter what your past looks like. You have the opportunity today to change not only the perception of how others see you, but most importantly, the perception of how you see yourself!

Here are 3 Keys to Activating your Dream:

1. Determine what to do. It is not uncommon for people who have a dream or vision for something to get stuck because they only visualize the dream, and don’t think about what actually has to be done to bring the dream to life. We have already talked about putting a plan in place, so now all we need to do is make the first step. Don’t make the mistake of thinking of how big your dream is, and how long it will take to accomplish it. Only focus on the next step you need to make. Simple things like: who you need to call, what you need to research, not starting an argument with your spouse and just listen to their concerns, looking your children in the eye when they talk to you. Whatever your goals are, think about little simple things to do that will keep you on track with you plan.
2. What are the rewards for pursuing this goal? Notice I said the rewards for pursuing the goal, not accomplishing it. In our first article we discussed identifying the benefits of accomplishing your goal. I’m now talking about rewarding yourself for pursuing the goal, for accomplishing tasks along the way to give you an incentive to stick to the plan. It could be as simple as rewarding yourself to a special dinner or treat for sticking to your diet, or buying yourself something special for accomplishing a milestone along the way. It is important to pat yourself on the back and reward yourself for putting in the work. If your reward is only on the back end of accomplishing your goal, you may find it difficult to stick to the process. Giving yourself smaller rewards along the way gives you motivation and incentive to stick to the plan.
3. Problem-solving: How do I handle problems and obstacles? Preparing for adversity and problems are a natural part of the preparation process. One thing you can be certain of is that there will be obstacles that you will have to overcome as you pursue your goals. Having a plan for how to handle obstacles, and determining how you will problem-solve is vitally important. This is where identifying the support that you have access to comes in. Knowing who you can reach out to for advice and support makes addressing problems less intimidating. Smart football coaches put into their practice schedule “quick change” situations. They make sure their team knows how to respond in the event of a fumble or interception, or how to deal with loud noise on the road, or how to throw and secure a wet ball in case of inclement weather. Preparing for problems strips the power of obstacles, and empowers you with knowledge of what to do in event you face an obstacle.