With the Holidays approaching and the New Year just around the corner, if you are like most Americans, you’re probably looking forward to a new beginning. You get another chance!!! Another chance to work on those goals you set up for yourself the year before, but just never got to them. Ugh!
Something that really annoys me is my mom telling me that everything is possible. Of course, not everything is possible, but as far as my goals go, she believes they are.
It’s annoying because I know she’s right and accepting it as true means that I have to face my own lame excuses as to why something I want to do never happens.
When I’m on the opposite end though, and I’m talking to people who give me an infinite amount of excuses as to why they can’t get themselves out of their own misery or accomplish their goals, it annoys me even more. I become my mother!
…and all I want to do is say: STFU!! Just do it!!!
By the way, “STFU!! Just do it!!” is sort of an inside joke that came from a chat that I was having with AXNV regarding this same topic. Today, it’s all we have to say to stop each other from making up excuses.
So really?! What does it take to accomplish your goals?! Are you the type of person who believes that the world is just out to get you? That no matter how hard you try, things just never work out for you? Um! Wake up! You’re not trying hard enough….or even worse, you probably already gave up.
So here I bring you, 3 things that will help you achieve your goals. Yeah! It’s that simple!! The best thing is that you can find all these within. Yeah! Within yourself. We’ve all heard of them a thousand times…..and they are all FREE!!
- Be persistent. Wow, this has done wonders for me. It’s a skill that requires a lot of patience, but once you master it, it’ll get you pretty much anything you want. You know why? Because when you’re not being persistent, it means you gave up. Once you give up, well, there goes your goal.
- Don’t be afraid. Ooh!This one will get you. We LOVE making up stories in our heads. Most of these stories are failure stories. We say things like: what if I fail? It’s too risky. I don’t know how to do this. Why don’t we create success stories instead?! Don’t be afraid!! Believe me, failure WILL only get you closer to your goal and the alternative which is a win, well, as you can see it’s a win-win situation. So when you fail, go back to #1.
- Stop making up excuses! Enough said! STFU!! Just do it!!!
These worked for me. At the age of 16 I was done with High School and starting college. At the age of 19 I was starting my career. I became a homeowner at the age of 23. I was traveling on my own dime at the age of 18. I have been to over 150 concerts (not cheap at all). I went to Europe for the first time this year. I visited 3 different countries and 4 different cities in one year! I traveled at least once a month this year (my last year’s “resolution”). I moved to Denver! On a less materialistic note, I have worked on projects that if it wasn’t because of my persistence and determination, they would have failed. At work, it’s the same. I don’t make up excuses for anything and I get things done, this is why I have a successful career that allows me to do all those other things that I’m passionate about.
All of these were goals that I had set for myself. Some smaller than others, but they were all goals that I knew I needed to make happen and I did.
Here’s the thing about goals. You NEED to really want to do it. Really really want to do it. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter how hard you think you’re trying, it just won’t happen. A lot of times we tell ourselves we truly want something. Ask yourself, do I really want this for me. If you can’t answer yes confidently or you don’t believe it when you hear yourself say it, then it’s probably fear speaking. So just go back to #2 :-D.
So whether your goal is to lose 5 pounds by the end of the year or go back to school or open up a new business or finally get to documenting your thoughts on your tubmblr blog (ahem..me..ahem).
Remember, you are the only one standing in your own way so…
STFU!! Just do it!!!
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A side note: I just want to acknowledge all the privileges that I have that have allowed me to accomplish most of my goals, but I don’t want this to be just another excuse to not accomplish your goals. Just like I have a lot going on for me, I also had a ton going on against me. Also, I know that there are people who are either physically or mentally restricted and that although they face challenges that I can’t even imagine what they must be like, they still make things happen! This topic is something that I have been thinking about for a while and what inspired me to finally write about it is an article I read a few days ago. It’s on the band Wheelchair Sports Camp. I’m just simply amazed at Kalyn’s persistence and determination. She makes it work!
This post is not about the challenges that are out of our control, but the biggest challenge of all, our minds. That thing that leads us to believe that we are no capable of doing something when we know we are.
