Achieve your goals incrementally

Goals are really important to achieving any type of success in your life. When you look around, does it seem like some people know exactly where they are going and others are floundering? Do you know how you want to live your life or the results you want to enjoy as you grow older? Any of these periods of success are achieved only through the development of goals in your life.

But sometimes those goals are HUGE! How do you attack a goal of becoming a millionaire or losing 50 pounds or finding your spouse? Each of these goals can seem insurmountable, but they are achievable just one step at a time. In other words, by addressing your goals incrementally you will be able to become successful – however you define success.

The old adage – the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – clearly defines exactly what is needed here. Too often we get overwhelmed by the greatness of our dreams and the fear that washes over us when we just think about attempting to achieve success.

By addressing your goals incrementally you increase your chances of success. Researchers have found that incremental changes in your life style choices have a better chance of remaining a part of your life than changes you make quickly and in large portion. (1) But, for most people this way of making changes isn\’t \’quick\’ enough. In other words, we want the changes to happen in our lives, and happen NOW!

For instance, a person who wants to lose 50 pounds is faced with \”50 pounds\”. How do you consider making enough changes in your life to lose 50 pounds? However, if we consider making small changes instead there is a much better chance of success. Individuals who want to lose 50 pounds must address the weight loss from the standpoint of getting healthier and making permanent lifestyle choice changes. And these types of changes and nutritional habits don\’t happen overnight. But, it is also the only successful way in which weight loss can be achieved.

So the individual who wants to lose weight must make smaller goals and changes that they chose to make permanent. For instance, individuals can choose to cut the number of sodas they drink over a 6 week period until they have totally eliminated soda from the diet all together. Once they have achieved this they can move on to incrementally working exercise into their daily regimen. For example, they can choose to walk for 10 minutes each day and make it a habit by doing it for 6 weeks. Once they have reached 6 weeks they can increase the number of minutes they exercise each day.

And it goes on from there. One step at a time. Small steps that you know you can continue and before you know it you have made major life changes that result in weight loss. And, later, when your friends ask how you lost all that weight you\’ll honestly be able to tell them one step at a time!

(1) American Psychological Association: Making Lifestyle Changes that Last
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/lifestyle-changes.aspx