6 practical ways to become persistent to achieve all your goals
6 Practical techniques to develop Persistency:
What would be your answer if I asked, "What do you think is the most important step towards achieving your goals?
The answer will definitely vary from person to person. Some may say planning, some might say gathering resources, etc. But I believe if you break it down to the core, everything will come down to two things.
The first is taking Action, and the second is developing a system. In simple terms having a system means developing certain habits that help you improve continuously. The Action gets you going, and the System safeguards you from getting off track in the long run.
Remember: working towards your goals is like running a marathon, not a sprint.
Now let’s look at the six practical techniques that could help you accomplish your goals more quickly. At the end of the article, you will also discover five elements that will prevent you from achieving your goals.
1. Find your Purpose
" He who has a why that takes the place of his goal, of finality, can live with anyhow. "
To act is good. Acting with a purpose is even better.
You have a beautiful list of your goals, which already motivates you.
Now ask yourself:
- What’s your purpose?
- Why do you want to achieve these goals?
It’s a very legitimate question because finding out “Why” will give you purpose, and you can use that purpose as fuel to keep yourself motivated in the long run.
I’d highly recommend reading the fantastic book “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek.
In this book, the author explained (from a deep perspective) the importance of finding your purpose by using the concept of “The Golden Circle.”
Most of us spend a lot of time focusing on accomplishing a task. Instead, we should focus on why we are about to do something and justify the reasons behind it.
By justifying your reasons, you ensure that you have a valid purpose for working. Having satisfying reasons will help you build a good foundation. And the good foundation will help you picture a solid plan for your approach toward a goal.
Be clear from the start with your plan. Ask some fundamental questions like:
- Are you doing something due to (family or peer) pressure or insecurity?
- Or is it because you’re passionate about it and you’d enjoy doing it?
Additionally, here are some more questions that can help you have a personal reflection:
- Why do you want to do this?
- Are you trying to prove something to someone or to yourself?
- What are the positive aspects doing this task will bring you?
- How will you feel after completing it?
- Is this goal part of a journey with an even greater goal?
- 5 years later, would you regret your decisions?
If you want to take the personal reflection further, I invite you to read the following article: 30 questions that will leave your mind speechless!
In short:
Find your why. Ask yourself the right questions. Why do you want to achieve this goal? What are your deepest motivations?
Remember: Do what excites you! Because it’s hard to be persistent in doing something you’re not passionate about. It’s crazy how many people I see who “suffer” by staying in a job they hardly enjoy doing! Find your ikigai!
2. Break your Resolutions into Small Pieces
"Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years."
We all know the famous saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” But very few of us actually comprehend the hidden message. Sometimes it is overwhelming to see how some people expect to become successful overnight (as if they have the magic wand of Harry potter 😀 ) without reasoning; everything takes time, hard work, and dedication. Perhaps those people constantly complain when reality hits them like a Brick.
We all have big goals. I’m sure you have too. Now my question to you is:
Have you ever tried to find out why only a few people achieve their dreams in their lifetime?
There are two main reasons behind that:
- They break down their dreams into smaller goals.
- They stay persistent and
But unfortunately, most of us don’t even bother to work on developing these two qualities. We want everything right away. We have become impatient and tend to get easily bored when things don’t go according to plan. Therefore, many fall into that trap and give up too quickly.
Now think about your dreams. Think about the goals you have and ask yourself:
- Does my goal motivate me?
If the answer is yes:
- Then try to figure out how to break your objectives into smaller, more easily attainable tasks?
Remember: if your end goal needs to be broken down into 1000 sub-goals, do it!
The main thing is to keep moving forward! Typically, the more sub-objectives are there, the less difficulty you’d face. You can efficiently define your path along the journey by dividing your final objective into several small goals.
However, it is also important to understand that building something new from scratch takes a while, and you need to be patient while going through the whole process.
Trust me! You’ll feel a lot better about yourself, and you’d be able to celebrate your little ego-boosting victories more than ever.
In short
By dividing your goals into smaller sub-goals, you get there more quickly with enough confidence. So, improvise your thought process by consistently asking yourself, “How can I simplify my goals by slicing them into several small pieces?”
Tick off every task when finished and later combine all of them for overall evaluation.
3. Reward Yourself!
Do you remember when you were a kid, your parents gave little rewards such as chocolates, a new bike, or the right to watch your favorite show after completing a task or achieving something in school?
Now try to remember what the feeling was like.
- Didn’t you feel proud?
- Didn’t your inner joy motivate you to do even better?
Rewarding yourself is a great way to boost your self-confidence and self-esteem. As human beings, we all crave recognition, whether from ourselves or from others.
And the more you reward yourself, the more positive signals your brain will get. Your thoughts will start to process the following affirmations:
- I feel proud of myself.
- I can progress little by little every day.
- I can achieve whatever I wish for.
When you have moments of doubt, it’s an excellent way to maintain your motivation.
However, you must also avoid rewarding yourself every five minutes, or it will lose its charm! Be reasonable and honest, and choose rewards appropriate to the challenge. Nothing more, nothing less!
You can go to a restaurant, eat a good piece of chocolate, watch a good movie, etc. I’m sure you have hundreds of ideas ;).
In short
Rewarding yourself is a very effective way to motivate yourself toward your goals. Numerous scientific studies have proved that celebration makes a massive difference in increasing our productivity. (Click to read the article later)
Although, it can also be harmful or counterproductive if the task requires your total focus or creativity.Because it will always occupy your thoughts and won’t let you entirely focus on your work.
4. Monitor your Progress
If I had to exhibit only one technique, it would be this one. I love it, and it’s the one I use the most.
Here is the method.
- Get a monthly calendar and hang it somewhere you’re likely to see it as often as possible.Also, get a colored marker.
- Choose one habit to follow for thenext 30 days. (Example: read a few lines from a book, play sports for 20 minutes, work on a personal project, eat a healthy meal, exercise daily, etc.)
- Each time you complete your task, draw a big red cross in the box for the current day.
So, what’s the goal? Have the longest chain of crosses possible!
By being consistent and proud of your results, you will feel much better and more confident as you watch the chain grow.
I want you to understand that you don’t need overwhelming efforts to achieve your goals. All you need is to move forward by taking small steps.
Remember: This technique aims to prove that you can last 30 days.
However, in the long term, it will be better to work 5 minutes every day on a certain task rather than spending only an hour every month.
In any case, that’s my state of mind, and that’s the rule I follow.
In addition, there are many applications available on the smartphone that allow you to track your goals.
They are based on three principles:
- Tracking: To follow the progress of your habits over time.
- Analysis: To learn more about you and your behavior.
- Review: To Remind you about your goals.
You set a daily goal and monitor it through a calendar or a dedicated app. The goal again? Make the chain as long as possible.
In short
Track your overall progress. Use the paper link method or a dedicated app to see where you’re in the game. The goal: is to make a chain of at least 30 days.
5. The Public Engagement technique
Here, I present to you a simple but highly effective technique.
Indulge more in public engagement.
It is human nature to have an Ego and more human to protect it. Because no one likes to be humiliated in front of others. It is a matter of prestige.
Right?
Well, here you will play with your own Ego and use it as a weapon. Sounds crazy, right? Here me out, dude J
To help you accomplish your goal on time, I’d suggest announcing it publicly. Post it on social networks, and tell your friends and family… It doesn’t matter. Let it be known. Say what you want to achieve and by when you hope to achieve it. Yell it out!!
From then on, you will do anything to succeed because you don’t want to lose your credibility with other people, especially close ones. You Ego will kick in by constantly reminding you of pride and that you can’t afford to lose the challenge.
Trust me! Let your ego lead the battle.
Another trick could be journaling. Scientific studies by a psychology professor named Dr. Gail Matthews have found that writing down your goals increases your chances of achieving them by 42%.
Bonus Technique:
Give an amount of money that makes you uncomfortable to someone you trust. And tell this person the following thing: “I am giving you ‘X’ amount of Money. If by [goal time], I have not achieved the next goal [goal], you keep the money. On the contrary, if I succeed, then you can give me the money back”.
This technique is quite formidable, and I have successfully used it many times.
In short
Make a public commitment regarding your goals. Announce what you want to achieve, and don’t forget to mention the deadline.
6. The 5-Minute technique
This technique is also very effective for starting a habit.
If you don’t feel like doing something, tell yourself: ” I’ll just do it for five minutes.”
Do you need to exercise but don’t feel like it? Just put on your workout clothes. You won’t want to get undressed right away.
You have to do the dishes, and you want to leave everything lying around? Same, tell yourself you’re just doing it for five minutes. And strangely, you are off to do it entirely. (Sorry for the example, but it means a lot to me ^^).
You will see that something amazing will happen:
- After five minutes, you will be in a certain dynamic and will not want to stop immediately. Bingo. You will continue.
Scientists have carried out several experiments with this technique (two minutes or five minutes, the principle remains the same). And the research shows that you will continue more often than quitting a task. This technique can help you get through even the most boring jobs.
In short
If you lack motivation, tell yourself that you will only do five minutes of practice. Then after five minutes, see how you feel. Strangely you will want to continue.
To summarize
You will find it easier to achieve your goals if
- You know why you do them
- You have a step-by-step plan: what are your sub-objectives, and what are the deadlines you impose?
- You have a system to keep you on track to your goal (Application, link technique, etc.)
- You publicly commit to the goal you have in mind
- You think about the good things that accomplishing this goal will cause.
- You reward yourself after every small accomplishment.
On the contrary, you will be less likely to achieve your goals if
- You rely only on your motivation and your will to succeed.
- You motivate yourself by focusing on someone else other than yourself.
- You only fantasize about what your life will be like after accomplishing your goal. Instead, focus on the process and every little challenge that gets in the way. You will be more successful.
It is important.
- Know that without persistence, you will not succeed.Because without it, you will always be going backward.
- You will be frustrated not to make any progress at all.
- You will be frustrated with having complete goals in mind and not being able to fully achieve them.
Be sure of your goals, and don’t let anyone around you demotivate you!
Got it?
Thanks for sharing your time.
It is important.
Tell me what you have learned from this article in the comments, or share if you have more techniques to achieve your goals.
May the force be with you!
It’s your turn!
Kazi, Ex-Quitter!!