PERSEVERANCE AND GOALS [BY B.S. BISHT]

 

The Truth About Perseverance and Goals

If you really want to be successful, you probably spend a lot of time reading motivational books and articles. You want to know what qualities are required for success. When we read about the tools required to achieve success, very often we are told that if we really want to be successful, we must have persistence. Persistence is the quality of never giving up when we encounter challenges. Of holding on to our dream. Of refusing to be discouraged no matter what the odds, no matter what happens. And when you read the life stories of very successful people, they will often tell you about all the hardships they encountered along the way. They will tell you about the discouragement they occasionally felt when they encountered failure, and about all the people who laughed at them along the way. And then they will often tell you that the reason they are successful today is because they were persistent. They persevered in chasing their dream, no matter what happened. So if you have been facing a bit of discouragement while you pursue your dream, reading these success gurus can give you the boost you need to keep on doing what you've been doing.

PERSEVERANCE AND GOALS

WHAT IS PERSISTENCE

 After all, persistence is the key to success. Almost everyone says so. And all those people who encourage you to be persistent are wrong! Persistence can lead to certain failure if you do not apply persistence in the right way. Let me explain what these people are leaving out when they tell you to be persistent. Every day as I drive to work in the city where I live, I always see a middle-aged blonde woman who paces back and forth on the sidewalk in front of a big government building. She is always carrying a big protest sign. She smiles and waves at all the cars that pass. I'm not sure exactly what her sign says because the words don't really make any sense. There seems to be something about an injustice that happened to her when her husband's pension was divided up during their divorce. And there's a few comments about a government conspiracy to cover up the injustice that was done to her. I guess what she's trying to accomplish with her protest is she's trying to get this divorce decision changed.

CONSISTENCY/PANCTUALITY

 Every day, no matter what the weather, this woman comes out to walk back and forth for two hours in front of this government building and wave at all the people. Her smile never fails. After the first two hours of protesting are up, she goes to another place downtown. She spends another two hours walking back and forth, smiling and waving, in front of a different building a few blocks away. She has been doing this every day for at least seventeen years. She is certainly persistent. All that persistence and dedication for so many years does not seem to be having any effect, but she does not seem to notice. If seventeen years of her walking back and forth carrying this sign hasn't had any effect, I don't think that one more day of walking with this sign is going to change the outcome of her divorce. But she is persistent in continuing her protest. 

PERSISTENCY

Probably every big city has a few people like this woman, people you can see standing on the sidewalk. People who spends years holding some sign that doesn't make sense. These people can teach us all about the real value of perseverance and persistence. These people are certainly very persistent, but usually they are not successful. When success gurus tell us that persistence is an important quality on the road to success, they are often leaving out something important.

THE STORY OF THE SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE

 When successful people tell you that they got to where they are today because they were persistent, they are actually leaving out part of the story. A very important part of the story. And the part that they are leaving out is this: They forget to tell you that before they were persistent, they had a goal, and they had a plan on how to get there. And all along the way, after every step they took, they stepped back to evaluate the results to see if the results they were getting were the results they wanted. And if they weren't getting the results they wanted, then they would change the steps they took, and try something different, until they found a method that worked for them. These successful people did have persistence, but they were only persistent about holding on to their vision. They were never persistent about the method they took to get to their goal. All along the way, they were prepared to be very flexible and experiment to see what techniques and strategies worked best to get where they wanted to go. Why do so many successful people leave out this important detail when they tell us the secrets to their success? Why do they so often neglect to mention that if a strategy wasn't working, they abandoned it quickly and moved on to another strategy?

SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE REVEAL THEIR FAILURE

 I don't think that successful people deliberately leave out this key information because they don't want us to be successful. I think that successful people often leave out this key detail because they assume it's very obvious to everyone already. They assume that everyone already knows that you test each step of what you are doing to see whether it's working or not. And if it's not working, you change it. And you keep trying new approaches til you get something that works, something that gets you closer to the result you want.

THOMAS EDISON IS ROLE MODEL

 People who admire persistence often use the example of Thomas Edison who kept trying to produce an electrical light bulb even after ten thousand failed attempts. But people often forget that while Thomas Edison was persistent in believing in his goal, he was not persistent in the way he tried to achieve it. Thomas Edison did not repeat the same experiment over and over again ten thousand times. Thomas Edison performed about ten thousand different experiments on his way to trying to find a practical electrical light bulb. Every time he tried an experiment to produce an electric light bulb, he then stepped back and took some time to evaluate the results. He figured out what was working and what wasn't working. Then he would try something different the next time. And he would keep track of the results. 

PERSISTENCE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

So, remember this crucial difference the next time someone tries to tell you that persistence is the key to success. Without taking some time to evaluate whether or not what you do is actually working, you can be persistent for years, and not achieve the goals you want. So, if you want to be successful, be sure to hold on to your dream, but remember to check frequently whether the actions you are taking are getting you closer to your goals.

Personal Goals that Inspire and Motivate

Are you feeling motivated to set some strong goals for this year? Write down those New Year's resolutions and get going, right? Most people write down lofty resolutions that they think they should want and rarely stick to them, losing motivation and focus within three weeks of their “good intentions. ”This is a brand new year of limitless possibilities. Do you want to Increase your income? Write a book? Attract a relationship? Start a new business? Become a professional speaker? Have more personal time? Take a really great vacation? I've got a gut feeling it's going to be a GREAT year, a BIG SUCCESS year.

STRONG GOAL SETTING

 So, forget writing down resolutions. They don't work. In fact, the whole idea doesn't really inspire action. So, let's change that. Start thinking about 3-5 things you want, really want for yourself this year. Not what you should want, or what you think would please others. Dream a little. Think big. What are you passionate about? Entertain several ideas that make you smile, excite you, make you giggle, make you feel really good inside, no holds barred. Remove all mental barriers to holding these ideas clearly in your mind. Now, put your attention fully on one of the things you want for yourself this year.

CREATIVE VISUALIZATION

 Visualize and see yourself already there, living it! Creative visualization is a powerful tool of attraction. Our minds cannot tell the difference between something real and something intensely imagined. Hold that picture in your mind. (Do this daily!)Does this picture excite you – make you want to have it? How would your life change if you got (achieved) this one thing you really want? What would you have in your life that you don't have now? 

COMMITMENT TO SUCCEED

Now, the next step is very important. You must decide to go for it. Choose to have what you really want NOW, not someday or tomorrow. NOW. Say YES to yourself instead of saying no. Making the decision fuels your intent to take action.3 Tips to Get on Track

 1. On paper, clearly describe the 3-5 things you really want. I suggest using statements beginning with the phrase ” I intend to” vs. I want, I hope for, I wish to, I'd like, I desire etc. (too wishy-washy). Taking a stand with strong definitive statements reflects your commitment to succeed. (This first step is important in creating your road map to achieving your goals. If you don't define the results you want, how do you know where you're going?). Feel like being creative? Make a collage or dream board for a visual aid in keeping your focus.

2. Moving forward, break down your action steps into smaller steps over a shorter time period like 30 days. For example: your goal is to increase your income, your first step may be to explore options to generate more money. Another step may be to look at your skills and talents for further ideas. A third step may be choosing something you have always wanted to do, something that you love that has the potential for additional income. Maybe it's a total change of career. The first month may be devoted to doing research and personal exploration.

3. Identify potential obstacles and struggles that could prevent you from reaching your goals. Develop strategies to keep yourself motivated and focused such as reading and listening to positive materials, surrounding yourself with encouraging, uplifting people, joining a mastermind group. HIRE A COACH! Note: let go of using the “money excuse” that you can't afford to get what you want. Invest in your success. It costs money to make money. How much do you think NO is costing you to stay where you are?

FIVE TIPS TO STAY ON TRACK

1- Resolve unfinished business. Either clear the past ( make apologies, speak your mind, forgive someone or yourself) and let it go.

2. Stay strong if you're feeling FEAR. Bring your attention back to the present. Fear creates uncertainty, worrisome and anxiety producing thoughts. (“What if” thinking, Am I going to be okay?) Fear looks at the future and worse case scenarios. Focus on past successes for confidence.

3. Eliminate negativity. Notice the chatter in your head. How do your emotions speak to you inside? What you think affects how you view a situation. Ever heard the phrase self-fulfilling prophecy? Your viewpoint affects your decisions and actions; therefore your attitude directly affects the outcome. Take a look at the people you associate with. Are they uplifting or do they bring you down? Be selective about who you're with, being around consistently negative or fearful people is draining and disheartening.

4. Keep up your self-care. Taking good care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually is a key factor in staying strong and focused under pressure.

5. Celebrate along the way. Taking the time to recognize measurable successes motivates continual commitment to your goals. ”The big challenge is to become all that you have the possibility of becoming. You cannot believe what it does to the human spirit to maximize your human potential and stretch yourself to the limit.” Jim Rohn

The 11 Basics of Goal Setting

Man is a goal-seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals. Aristotle said," Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage, but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal. Elbert Hubbard Millions of words have been written about goal setting. Millions of people set goals. Yet, most goals set by most people remain unfulfilled. I have distilled (from experience and education) the eleven essentials of successful goal setting here for you. Follow these and you will accomplish your goals. Fail to follow these and you probably will not. No hype. No rah-rah encouragement. No fluff. Just the simple explanation of how and why to set and ACCOMPLISH goals. Your goals must be:

1. Original

2. Inspirational

3. Harmonious

4. Realistic

5. Idealistic

6. Specific

7. Adaptable

8. Visualized

9. Affirmed

10. Time related

11. Written down

1. Goals must be original. That does not mean that they cannot be the same or similar to the goals that others may have; it means that they must be yours, not secondhand. Many people set goals according to the hopes and expectations that they have been programmed to have by parents, teachers, society or cultural norms. As a consequence they do not own these goals. You cannot generally have or hold what is not yours or even if you do manage to keep it, it will not have any value or meaning to you. What's the point then of having it? The real reason you set and hope to achieve goals is not just to have the thing, it is to be happy and fulfilled in the accomplishment. Set goals that are yours; not inherited or assumed. If they are not your own original goals, even if you manage to accomplish them, it will mean very little to you. Why waste your life pursuing something that will end up as meaningless?

2. Goals must be inspirational. They must arouse your passion. This must be a consuming passion, not some whim or someday I'd like to get feeling. You must desire passionately to achieve what you set as a goal. It must drive you to action and you must feel fulfilled in that action because you know that it is leading to the fulfillment of your goal. It is passion that drives you to move continuously toward your goal. It is passion that keeps you from getting distracted. It is passion that keeps you from getting discouraged. It is passion that fuels your motivation. It is passion that draws others to you to assist in your goals. It is passion that inspires you and others. It is passion that lights your way through the darkness that you will find along the way. Get passionate about your goals or get passionate about someone else's. Life without passion is not a life; it is merely an existence.

3. Goals must be harmonious. Obviously, you cannot have conflicting goals in life or you will be conflicted. That's the easy part. Your goals, however, must also be in harmony with your core beliefs and your self-assigned purpose in life. It is easy to understand that to having conflicting goals will raise your stress levels and frustrate you. Yet, people do that to themselves all the time. It is not so easy to understand that you may have some deep set unconscious game plan for your life (whether from some basic spiritual urge or from some sense of undefined purpose) and the goals you set may actually be in conflict with that real, but hidden, game plan. First, decide who you are and what you are here to do and then set your goals in alignment with that; or you, yourself, on a subconscious or super conscious level will continually be sabotaging your goals.

4. Goals must be realistic. There is not much point in setting a goal to personally live on Mars, if you are today over 95. The goals you set for yourself must be achievable within the framework of what is humanly possible. But (and this is important) realistic does not mean what the majority commonly accepts as realistic. Most people did not think that it was realistic to attempt to fly a bicycle with wings and a motor attached, but two brothers named Wright did. Most people did not think it was realistic to build a personal computer for people to use in their home, but two guys named Steve did. These 4 guys changed reality for all of us. Their goals were obviously, in retrospect, quite realistic. Don't let your imagination be hemmed in by the crowd.

5. .Goals must be idealistic In two ways, they must involve your personal ideals in the five mentioned areas of your life and they must be progressively higher or further ahead than you are at now. If your goals are not in tune with your ideals, you will be conflicted. Most people are, in some way, in conflict with the different aspects of self: Material and Financial ($$$ & Things);

* Physical and Environmental (Health of body, home and world); 

*Emotional and Relationship (Happiness, Love, Social contact);

* Mental and Educational (Learning, Awareness, Self-knowledge);

* Spiritual and Ethical (Unity, Life purpose, Values, Sacredness).

 This is why they are unhappy and why they do not achieve their highest potential. Set your goals in harmony with your ideals. If your goals are not idealistic (in the sense that they are progressive), you will get bored and unsatisfied. People (those who don't understand) often wonder why those who are already extremely wealthy continue to pursue more wealth. It is because the ideal is always being extended or raised. Great achievers don't rest on their laurels. Each goal achieved is merely a stepping-stone to more and greater achievement. It is not the end in itself.

6. Goals must be specific. Goals like; I want to be rich, are not worth the paper they are printed on. Rich must be defined. $1 million in the bank might mean rich to most people but it means poor to many others. It is the same for more ethereal goals. I want to be happy means nothing. Happy must be defined just as rich must be defined. I want to be spiritually fulfilled is the same which is meaningless, unless defined. What does rich mean to you? Exactly. What does happy mean to you? Don't know exactly? Then how on earth will you ever even know if you get there? I have met a lot of people who say that they are on a spiritual path. I like to ask where that path is leading. Most can't say anything specific. It is all very nebulous. If your destination is not defined, how in heaven's name will you know if and when you get there?

7. Goals must be adaptable. One of my favorite jokes (which would offend some readers so I will not quote it here) involves a guy who had set a specific goal but when a goal came along to offer a much better fulfillment, he asked her to help him to accomplish his original one. Many people miss the better fulfillment of a goal because their focus on the one they had originally visualized is too intense and narrow to recognize the better one when it shows up. Be sure that you are focused on the best possible fulfillment of your goal, not just on the method that you foresaw that goal fulfillment happening.

8. Goals must be visualized. If you cannot see it as real and as true and as a part of the way you live your life. it will not happen. Many folks, when confronted with some seemingly outrageous possibility or goal, will comment, I'll believe it when I see it made real, not just some imaginary ideal. The dreamers, schemers and achievers of history all had a different approach to see it. I believe it. It is real if it exists in my imagination. Tiger Woods sees, his shots landing on the green a few feet from the cup before he takes the shot. The average golfer looks up (usually too soon) from his shot to see where it went. Guess whose shots end up where most often. Visualize the reality in your imagination and it will become real in your manifestation.

9. Goals must be affirmed. You must tell yourself all day, every day, in your constant conscious and subconscious self-talk that your goal is real and achievable. And, you must tell others what your goal is so that they can buy into it and contribute to it. If you don't believe in it enough to make it a part of your daily conversation and are not passionate enough about it to be compelled to talk about it to yourself and others, it is not real for you and it will not become real. You will be surrounded by naysayers. Someone must speak the truth of the reality of your goal. That is your 24/7 job. Constantly affirm where you are headed and why. You'll end up not only convincing yourself but the world as well.

10. Goals must be time related. Everything exists in space and time. If something is not defined precisely in space and time, it does not exist. A goal of someday, I'd like to be financially secure, or someday, I'd like to climb that mountain does not, and it is highly likely that it WILL NOT ever, exist as anything other than nebulous wishful thinking. You must set specific times for your goals to be made manifest OR you will be forever going towards your goals and never quite reaching them. Almost everyone in developed countries sets the goal of retirement in financial security, but the overwhelming do not achieve that. Why? One of the reasons is that it is always a someday' goal not a fixed goal. Of course, it is also likely that these people are also not applying the other 10 rules of effective goal setting.

11. Goals must be written down. If it exists only in your head, it is only wishful thinking. This is the basic, proven by experience, truth of the matter. 95% of people who have specific written goals, accomplish them; and 95% of people who have unwritten goals (specific or not) do not. If you can read that sentence and not begin immediately to write down your goals, you might as well resign yourself to the fact that you will not accomplish what you imagine you want to be, do and have in life. Yes, there are those few high achievers who manage to set clear distinct goals without writing them down and also manage to stay focused on them for their entire lives. Don't kid yourself that you are not one of those people. I'll prove it to you. Tell me (or anyone) right now exactly, specifically and in full detail what goals you held 1,000 days ago. Write them down. Period. Now.