5 Ways To Stay Committed To Your Goals
Years ago, Gingersnap’s Organic, my plant-based cafe in Manhattan, was just a far-fetched dream.
I dreamed of creating healing, vibrant foods. I dreamed of sharing the power of plant-based eating with others. I dreamed of bringing a wholesome, holistic view of health to the people of New York.
But it felt like an impossible dream. It felt too big for me. It felt too far beyond my reach.
You’ve felt this way before, right? Maybe you’re sitting in this feeling right now. Dreaming of leaving your cubicle job. Dreaming of a ‘round-the-world trip. Dreaming of a healthy, strong body. Dreaming of writing your memoir.
Dreaming, but never doing.
Too often, we let our brightest dreams die.
Sometimes, we never even start pursuing our far-off goal, and our bright vision gradually fades. Other times, we leap into action at the first spark of inspiration...only to give up when the work has barely begun.
It’s painful, isn’t it? To hold space a dream inside for years, only to see it never happen? Only to let doubt and distraction kill your passion? Only to fail, again and again and again?
You’re not alone. You’re capable and deserving of reaching your biggest, scariest goal.
Every day, I work with my clients to overcome mental blocks, clear destructive patterns, and bring their dreams into reality.
Here are five tools I give them to help them reach their goals:
“THE ONLY LIMIT TO YOUR IMPACT IS YOUR IMAGINATION AND COMMITMENT”
1. SPEAK YOUR GOALS
Stop holding your goals, your dreams, and your truths in silence. Talk about what you want to create in your life.
There is great power in speaking your goals. Voicing your dreams opens you up to collective support, forward momentum, and unexpected synchronicity.
When I decided to open Gingersnap’s Organic, I started to talk about what I was doing before I even had a plan. These conversations opened into providential connections I never would have imagined.
Through these conversations, I met a realtor (who showed me spaces for the cafe), a New York Times editor (who wrote a publicity feature), and a chef (who helped develop our raw, vegan recipes).
A million connections later, Gingersnap’s was born. Can you imagine what connections you’re missing by keeping your dream in silence?
2. FIND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YOUR GOALS
Right now, the finish line is miles away. Achieving your goal is a long journey, and you need support and encouragement along the way. Don’t try to do this alone.
You need someone who will cheer you on, ask you the hard questions, and be honest with you in the middle of the mess.
One word of caution: sometimes, it’s safer to choose an accountability person who is a step outside of your inner circle. This gives them objective distance, and protects you from the potential conflict of working with your best friend or partner.
3. PRIORITIZE YOUR GOALS
Don’t get ahead of yourself. You have a long road ahead of you, and you’ll get overwhelmed and discouraged if you try to plan, consider, and accomplish everything at once.
Your next book or your new business won’t be birthed overnight—and my cafe certainly wasn’t!
Allow the process to take time, and focus on one step at a time.
Write a list, in order, of the steps involved, so that you can clear your head. Then, focus one one small goal at a time. And keep your eyes on that one small goal, instead of allowing the stress of all the steps combined to overwhelm you.
For example, if you’re trying to find a new job (which might take months) don’t worry about handing in your two week notice before you’ve rewritten your resume, honed your skills, or applied for a new job.
One step at a time.
4. STRUCTURE YOUR GOALS
Your initial spark of motivation, excitement, and inspiration won’t last forever. Along the way to reaching your goal, there will be many distractions and moments of doubts.
In those moments, you’ll be tempted to abandon the project you were once so excited about.
To push through this resistance, embrace structure and discipline as tools that will help you make your dream a reality.
Structure can take different forms, depending on your personality and your goal—you can set appointments with yourself, schedule “goal” time into your daily calendar, or create rituals that help you stay on track.
For example, if you are trying to be more active, you might schedule four workouts into your weekly calendar. Then, treat these sessions as unbreakable appointments.
Even on days when you’re not feeling well, look for creative ways to honor your commitment. Maybe, instead of an intense workout, you spend that time meditating, taking a bath, or going for a slow walk...anything that keeps you aligned and true to your goal.
This scheduled time will help you show up and take action, even when you feel like abandoning the ship.
Remember, The subconscious loves to throw distractions and reasons we can not complete our goals. When you are truly committed to your goals, you find a way to stay on track even during the "chaos" of life.
5. TAKE ACTION TOWARDS YOUR GOALS
So, friend, this is where the magic happens. But this is also where the fear shows up for most people. Trust me, I’ve been there.
Instead of getting overwhelmed by the hugeness of your goal, stay focused on your smaller priorities along the way.
Center your focus by writing down a few tiny action steps in a special journal every morning. Remember to be realistic and gentle with your expectations.
Writing down these small action steps creates momentum and moves your goal from your headspace into the real world.
Bonus: crossing off your actions steps each day will also lead to feelings of accomplishment—you’re getting shit done!
If you’re ready to get serious about your biggest dreams + goals, you may want to welcome extra support into your life. Sounds dreamy? Let’s work together to open your perspective and create lasting change.
All of my coaching offerings are completely individualized, which means that there’s an option for you—whether you need energy healing to work through a mental block, intuitive coaching to help you create a detailed action plan, or a safe space to speak freely about your goals without judgment or fear. Click here to find out more.