The first quarter of the year has come to a close. This is usually the time when most people drift away from their New Year's Resolutions but don't worry! We hope this will inspire you to pick up wherever you left off and continue your journey towards that goal of yours.
“It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.”
Starting something new already feels like a daunting task, but even when you get past that hurdle, continuing the streak until its completion is much more challenging.
Everyone is comfortable sticking to an everyday routine. Imagine being snug in bed just watching from your favourite streaming service, eating your favourite snack and drink. For the very first time, the pandemic has given us extra hours to do whatever we could possibly want. But even before Covid, it’s already been a challenge for most to leave their comfort zone. But we have to remember that it's not impossible.
Motivation is the Ignition to Start New Things
Motivation is something we feel that urges us to act. It could be from a book, a testimonial, or an experience with other people. We can also experience it alone, sort of an "aha!" moment when we think of that new idea.
Motivation usually pushes us to begin the journey, but it rarely gets us to the finish line. Motivation is like the ignition to a car. So, how do we get from starting our vehicle to reaching our destination?
Perseverance is Needed to Continue On
We need perseverance, which could be defined as "continuing in a course of action without regard to discouragement, opposition, or previous failure." While driving, you can be met with construction zones, roadblocks, detours, and traffic. But within the different aspects of our life, there will be a lot these same roadblocks or detours on the way to success. However, your willingness to continue on will guarantee a win. Perseverance is the constant battle against rejection, challenges, and hurdles that we may encounter. Think of perseverance as the driver, the chauffeur who should never get tired until you reach your destination.
“It does not matter how slowly you go
as long as you do not stop.”
Write & Visualize It
Another driver that will help is to write down specifically what your goals are. This activity will put into perspective the results you could have when you achieve your goals and realize the opportunities you will miss if you decide to quit. Consider this list as the GPS that will help guide you in reaching your target.
While creating your list, visualize and internalize what they mean in your life. For example, if you write that you want to double your income this year, what can that doubled income mean for you and your family? What's the emotion behind that result? Will that mean spending more time with family? More time for yourself? Perhaps you can start that basement renovation that you've been putting off? Imagine the results you want in advance.
“Winners in life visualize their success and look forward to reaping and enjoying the rewards of their accomplishments. They revel in their hard-earned victory, and that reinforces their superior level of self-confidence.”
Reward Yourself
The next thing you could do is to reward yourself as you progress. The important thing here is to choose the actual rewards you’re giving yourself. We have to remember that even if a battle is won, you also need to win the war. In order to do that, we need to invest in things that will help us in the long run.
Think of these positive rewards as the fuel to keep your vehicle running, to keep us running! It's already a challenging journey to wherever you want to go, and rewarding ourselves will incentivize and program us to stick to it.
Celebrate Your Small Wins with Others
Last but not least, celebrate the wins, no matter how small. When we say celebrate, it has more to do with celebrating with others than rewarding yourself. Celebrating with other people will solidify the progress that you're making while also letting your friends and family share your success.
The bonus is that you might inspire them to do the same or continue also what they have put off. You guys might even become accountability partners which can present a whole list of other benefits for both parties.
Overall, it promotes positivity and further strengthens your perseverance since you’ll be chasing that next win so you can celebrate with others again.
“Do not wait to enjoy the results, it might be too late; learn to enjoy the process and celebrate each achievement even if it is minor.”
We hope that this article has shed some light on some practical tips on how you can continue what you started this year.
What was your favourite tip? Comment down below!
Make sure to check out our other Wealth Diaries for more inspiring stories.