1. In order to efficiently complete a goal which you set for yourself, you must first have a well-planned out goal. What do you wish to complete? Why? What do you hope to achieve by completing it? How long do you estimate it will take until its completion? Once you have your goal (I wish to write this blog), then all you have is a map with an X, without any landmarks or a path from where you are to the end.
2. Next, answer as many questions as you can about the goal, such as those listed previously. These will help you by making your goal more obtainable in the sense that you now have a definitive goal. You know what you want, why, etc. so now you can get it. Your goal is no longer a distant castle which you have only heard rumours about and is surrounded in fog, but now a vibrantly drawn castle which you can easily see.
3. Once you see the castle, you must quest there. A path must be created. Take your goal, and then figure out how you wish to get there. Start out simple (I wish to sit down and write the blog), and then add more detail (I will sit down on July 19th while watching the remaining bit of the first Star Trek movie and write my blog. The blog will be on procrastination.), until you feel that it is a plan that you can follow. In most cases, too little information leads to a motivational problem (because you don't know how you're going to complete your goal, you feel lost and then begin to think that you should not continue). That being said, often times it is better to lack a clear path to your goal as it makes the journey more exciting and allows for more creativity. Just be cautious.
4. Now, no doubt, there will be some problems. However, there are many ways that you can overcome these. Most of the problems you will have will be those of motivation. If you ready wish to do something, but at one point or another lose focus, you need help. Here are some suggestions:
- Look back at the questions you answered when figuring out your goal. What did you wish to accomplish by reaching your goal? Why are you doing it?
- Ask friends to help. If they wish you to do something too, then they'll be happy to bug you to do it.
- Set up rewards for yourself. Say that you can have a bowl of ice cream once you finish the goal.
- Separate the task into smaller parts. In writing this blog, I separated points. This both helped in communication of points, but also gave me a sense that I had completed so much of this already, and then there was only a little left to go. This action of separating your task into smaller parts could be incorporated into step 3 when you're making a path to your goal.
- Take breaks in between parts. If you relax between parts, then you'll be ready to tackle the next one.
- Keep going! When you're on a roll, go with it. Then you'll get more done, and when you're stuck, you won't feel so bad because you already did a lot.
- Focus on the positive. I cannot emphasise this enough. When you're at a stand still, don't think about how much further you have to go, think about how fun it will be to get there, and look back at how much you've done and how easy or interesting that was. You're getting there!
5. The best way to deal with motivational issues is remove them.
- Turn off instant messaging programs, or set your status to away or busy. Talking to people for no reason is a great way to waste time and not get things done.
- Remind yourself why you want to do your goal, so that you stay focused on the task.
- Don't get discouraged at setbacks, but see them as mini-goals. They are now new checkpoints and you'll complete them once you overcome them.
- Sometimes music can be a good thing while working as it helps relieve stress. However, be wary of songs which will make you want to do something else, unless you use them for breaks. For example, I can't listen to certain CDs while writing this blog, otherwise I start to think that I should make music videos for them (may be coming soon!)
- Plan your time well. If you want to do so much by a given date, notify friends of this as well, so they can make sure not to bug you during that time, or can help you with your goals.
- If you feel like you'd rather be doing something else, see if you can incorporate your goal into it. That's how this blog came to be. I wanted to blog, but I had no ideas, and then I got asked a question on procrastination, and voila!
6. One of the most important things, given all this, is to reassess your goal on occasion if you're really lacking motivation, or just in general. Is it really worth your time and effort? If so, then get back at it! If not, then that's alright. Set it aside and move on. One of the worst things I think I've ever done is taken something I've started on or finished, but gotten rid of it because I either was fed up with working on it and disliked it, or I had moved on in my life. Turns out that later on I wanted to show it off or just look back at it, but it was gone.
7. Once you've completed your task, great! But don't get lazy. Celebrate the victory, but then look to new endeavours. Just beyond the next problem, just beyond the next idea, there's something that's fantastic. Grab it, and go for it. Let your triumph hurl you to new heights, and onto new journeys.
8. Ultimately, have fun with it. You should find some way to make everything fun. Got a blog to write? Do it listening to some music that inspires you to write. Want to read a book in a day? Lunge at the goal, and suck every last word out from the pages until it's dry of knowledge.
I've completed my goal for today. Have you?
I leave you with this:
Often procrastination
Leads to current elation
But then its degradation
Only leaves exasperation
No comments:
Post a Comment