How to reach your long term goals without becoming overwhelmed by them

When the Australian men’s rowing coach was asked by a television reporter before the Rio Olympics ‘ do you think you’ll win gold?’ he replied, ‘I’ve found if you focus on the result you lose sight of the process’. This idea is crucial to implement if you want to reach your long term goals without becoming overwhelmed by them.

What are YOUR goals?

Think about that quote for a minute. ‘If you focus on the result you lose sight of the process’. Now consider the goal/s are you working towards – you know, the really BIG SCARY, long term ones. It might be weight loss, fitness goals, success at work, good marks at uni…and the list goes on. When you think about these goals, does it overwhelm you? Does the destination you want to reach seem SO far away that the little daily steps you need to take to get there seem unrealistic and pointless? If the answer is no – well done! It’s likely your already taking on board some of the ideas below. If the answer is yes, then you’re probably allowing doubt and fear in which takes you further away from reaching your desired goal causing you to become overwhelmed by it.

So how can we stop ourselves becoming overwhelmed by big goals?

You’ll be far more likely to reach long term goals without becoming overwhelmed by following these tips:

1. Find the process & work it

1. Well the coach is right, we need to acknowledge there is a process and work within that process. Plan it, stick to it and reward yourself for sticking to it. You might like to place your plan on the wall like I did for my running program here. If you’re a procrastinator when it comes to doing what you need to or have planned to do, read this post on how to overcome procrastination.

2. Stop comparing yourself

You need to stop comparing yourself to people who have already accomplished your goal or are trying to e.g. your co-worker, boss, the fitness model at Lorna Jane or the smartest kid in the class. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, ‘comparison is the thief of joy’. It’s important to enjoy the process and celebrate the small wins! Then rather than only being happy when you reach the goal, you’ll be happy through the whole process, regardless of whether you’ve met your goal yet or not because you have the satisfaction that you’re working towards it.

3. Be kind to yourself

If you move away from things that will help you meet your goal, don’t bash yourself up, just acknowledge it and move on towards something that will help you. Feel empowered knowing that you are back on track!

How do you stop yourself from being overwhelmed by your long term goals? Lets build on this list, please let me know in the comments below!

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