Nearly everyone I know would like to improve their life (or themselves) in some way.  That makes sense.  Most of us would like to be in better shape, be more confident, have more money, be more patient, or (fill in the blank).  Some of us would like all of these things!  I believe it’s important to strive.  It’s important to dream.

But what are you willing to do about it?

The challenge with most of us is, we never step out of the dreaming phase.  We might fantasize about creating 6 pack abs or a successful podcast, but we don’t take action on it.  Or, and I find this to be the case more often, we only take action for a short period of time.  We can say we started.  But when it gets tough, we give up the fight.  This is not a judgment…just an observation.

I think the reason is simple.  We don’t plan for difficult times.  We don’t like to think about that.  While it’s important to envision the wonderful outcome of our goal, in every journey there will be challenging times.  The vision of success can help to get us started.  It’s even a great way to keep us on task at times.  But here are 2 thoughts about how to keep going.

Set A Time (in advance) That You Will Stay the Course

When you start a new journey, it’s hard to know how long it will take to succeed.  So we start off chasing this new goal and get frustrated when we don’t see results quickly.  When that happens, we often decide in haste that it’s not working…and quit.  I think it’s better to set an amount of time in advance that you are willing to give this goal.

“I will stick with this workout plan for 3 months.”  This does a couple of things.  First, you set this goal when you are excited and not tired and frustrated.  That’s a good time to make that decision…not in the middle of the grind.  Second, it gets rid of that decision fatigue that comes from looking at your progress every day.  “Is this really worth it?”  Early on…the answer will often feel like “no.”  By setting that timeline in advance, you can keep yourself from having unrealistic short-term expectations.

Have A Plan For What You Will Do With The Hard

I have talked about this before.  If you are chasing something big and important, there will be times that are hard.  Take the time now to decide what you will do when that happens.  Create a list of things that you can do that will decrease your stress and re-center you on the journey.  You might want to meditate, journal, take a walk, listen to music or go hit a punching bag.  Whatever.  Have a plan for it.

Big goals and dreams are exciting.  They are a great sign that you are living your life intentionally.  But dreams are not enough.  These are a couple of quick ways to keep you on track so that you can stay the course on your journey.

Thanks for reading!  If you want to learn new ways to level up for yourself and your team, check out Better Business University here.

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Kirby Hasseman is the CEO of Hasseman Marketing, a full-service marketing agency located in Ohio.  Learn more about Hasseman Marketing here.  And if you are interested in having him speak at your next event, you can learn more here.