No Limits!

Chances are, when you set a goal, you never intend to fail. Hopefully you’re approaching the challenge with an optimistic, can-do attitude. Unfortunately, life can get in the way and throw up road blocks that slow your progress. These obstacles can quickly douse your confidence and allow negative thoughts to start spinning through your brain. Suddenly, you can identify all sorts of reasons why achievement is unlikely, if not impossible.

When this happens once, it can be frustrating, but when we let this happen all the time, it can be extremely discouraging, leaving us to feel like we’re stuck where we are with no chance of improvement. That’s no way to go through life!

If you find yourself in this situation, it’s time to reframe your goal and those roadblocks. Start thinking about the opportunities you still have instead of focusing on the limits. Here how:

• Ignite your passion. If you’re not excited about the goal, it’s probably not worth pursuing. Napoleon Hill said, “The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.” When you’re passionate and enthusiastic about what you are trying to accomplish, you’re more likely to achieve success.
• Reach for the stars! Don’t settle for easy. Sometimes we set our expectations too low and boredom sets in, and the enthusiasm fades away. Your goal should give you something “big” to shoot for, an achievement that will make you smile with pride.
• Identify the positives. What are the positive results that will emerge when you achieve your goal? Make a list and be specific. A statement like “Enjoy life more” doesn’t create that specific picture that you need for motivation. A statement like “Cleaning out and reorganizing my attic will give me space to add a beautifully remodeled home office” is something you can look forward to and great excitement.
• Turn roadblocks into opportunities. When it seems like something is standing in the way of you reaching your goal, look for possibilities instead of limits. You can’t bear to give away your grandmother’s rocking chair even though it’s just collecting dust in the attic? Have it refinished and incorporate it into the décor in your living room. Husband won’t toss his boxes of baseball cards? Have them appraised and create a visual display out of the most valuable or meaningful ones.
• Create a visual reminder. If you are clearing the clutter out of your attic so you can add office space, start hanging pictures from magazines that depict how you will design and decorate your new space. When you hit a road block, go straight to your “vision board” images to regain your resolve and passion to achieve your goal.
• Be patient. You won’t achieve your dreams overnight, but by consistently investing in hard work, time, and willpower, you will make steady progress. Look at your vision board every day to keep the fire alive that will motivate you to succeed. The more passionate you feel about the outcome the more driven you will become to achieve.

Ultimately, if you’re not passionate about reaching your goal, if you aren’t motivated by the positive outcomes you’ll experience when you reach your goal, you’re making is easy for roadblocks to stop your progress. But if you are truly excited and can visualize what your life will be like once you’ve achieved success, there are no limits to what you can do!

photo credit: debbietingzon via photopin cc