Get where you want to go

I ended my last post by referring to the quote by Henry David Thoreau that says, “Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.”

It is easy to say don’t look back but, some people might ask, ‘what does that mean or what practical steps can I take?’

This quote is a timely reminder at a time when I’m leaving my old career behind to pursue new opportunities. There’s a risk that I could be tempted to look back at the familiar especially at those times when fear and self-doubt will inevitably crop up.

This happens to the best of us and I must think now of what to do when that happens. I need a plan now as it will be too late to come up with one if fear and self-doubt has already crept in.

So, here are some tips to help you move in the direction you want to go.

Know the ‘What’ and ‘Why’
Write down the vision and your ‘why’. This is critical as if you don’t know where you are going, there’s no way to know when you arrive. At the earliest stage, define what you want to achieve and why it is important. This becomes your motivation.

Create a plan of action                           Have a plan so you know what to do on a daily and weekly basis. This will be useful on days when you’re not in the mood or don’t feel motivated. If you stick with the scheduled actions and discipline yourself to follow through, you will move in the right direction.

Be accountable to someone
Find some accountability partners, people you can trust with the vision, plan and timeline. To these people, give the power to challenge you or give you a kick in the backside when needed. They should truly care about helping you stay focused and motivated until you meet your goals.

Select them carefully as you only need a handful of effective ones. Too many and you could get pulled in different directions.

Create a self-pep talk
We all need a pep talk now and again. So, create one. You owe it to yourself to be awesome and to accomplish your goals. My pep talk is a reminder of who I am, what I am created to do and to do my best always.

I hope you find these tips helpful.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Happy holidays!!