One of the main reasons people fail to achieve their goals and dreams is they get disconnected from what they want.
We all started strong. When we first set the goals and dream the dream, we’re excited and motivated to take massive action.
The problem comes a couple of weeks or months later when we got caught up with other things and are too busy to work on our goals and dreams. We got distracted, and our drive slowly disappear.
This is when most people choose to give up on their goals and dreams. But you don’t have to. And that’s what this blog post is created for – to help you reconnect with your goals and dreams so that you can get back on track and make huge progress.
So, here are the 7 simple ways how you can reconnect with your goals and dreams…
1. Review your goals and start planning
That’s right, most people fail to keep the momentum high because they don’t review their goals often enough. Most people thought that setting a goal is all about writing down what they want to achieve, which is only partially right.
You don’t want to just write down your goals, you want to review them regularly as well. If you can, read out your goals every morning before you kick-start your day. And the best way to reconnect with your goals is to review them every week.
For example, every Friday, I will review my goals and my dreams. I will look at what I have done over the week and plan what I need to do the next week. By doing so, I reconnect with my dreams for the future and I’m able to turn my dreams into reality.
Here’s what you need to understand…
“A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams a reality.”
This is why it is important to constantly review your goals and dreams. It’s one great way to reconnect with what you want in life, but sadly, most people don’t do it.
If you want to learn how I do it, read this blog post: How to Evaluate and Review Your Goals
2. Visualize the success you want
The second method to reconnect with your dreams and goals is to visualize the results you desire. That’s right, daydreaming help.
There are plenty of benefits to visualization. You see, when you visualize the success you want, you increase your confidence by ‘seeing’ yourself accomplishing your goals and dreams. It makes you believe that you can do it, and what you desire, you can achieve.
Besides, visualization also helps you ‘rehearse’ success in your mind before you materialize what you want in real life.
Do you know that visualization can help improve athletic performance and most professional athletes incorporate visualization as a part of their training?
There are many ways how you can visualize the success you want. For instance, you can see yourself having already achieved the goals or are already living the dreams you want. Or, you can also visualize the process and see yourself working hard to get there.
My suggestion? Do both. See yourself achieving the results you want and also create mental pictures in your head and see yourself working hard to get there.
And if you are having hard times visualizing the success you want, use a vision board. Just like how John Assaraf used vision boards to create the life of his dream. Today, John is a brain expert and a New York Times best-selling author. Read his story on how he visualized his success here.
3. Focus on taking one small step
If you want to reconnect with your goals and dreams, you must take consistent action. I know, it will be difficult to act when you don’t have the motivation. But, hear me out. You don’t have to take massive action, you just need to take one small step.
When you have disconnected from your goals and dreams, you don’t feel motivated for what you want to achieve anymore. Hence, you tend to procrastinate and you won’t want to work on your goals.
Thus, what you should do is break down your goals into many small and actionable steps. And then focus on taking just one small step at a time.
For example, if your goal is to get back in shape but you have already lost interest in the goal, what should you do? Just take one small step. Start small.
Exercise for just 5 minutes. Or if you are still reluctant to do that, do only 3 push-ups. How about that?
Commit to the minimum. This is because small actions are easier to carry out and require less motivation and willpower to execute.
The best part? When you start taking small actions, you will build up the momentum to keep going.
If you want to write a book, you don’t have to write for 10 hours a day. Just focus on writing 1,000 words a day. Or if 1,000 words are too much, then focus on just 500 words. And if that’s still too much, write just 100 words a day.
The more small actions you create, the more motivated you will become. And as your confidence grows and motivation improves, you will be able to take more and bigger action steps.
Here are some resources to help you with taking small steps:
- Why Start Small? The 5 Important Benefits of Starting Small
- Success Cycle: How to Leverage Small Success to Build Bigger Ones
- How to Dream Big and Start Small
4. Read an inspirational book
This is common sense. When you don’t feel motivated and when you feel disconnected from your goals and dreams, just pick up an inspirational book and start reading.
You can read for 30 minutes, or you can read for an hour. It doesn’t matter. The key is to program your mind with inspirational materials that will boost your mood.
And it doesn’t need to just book. It can be videos or podcasts. Or even listening to your favorite songs may help sometimes.
What if you don’t know what books to read? Great question and I have the answer for you. Just check out my recommended success books here.
5. Talk to someone who will inspire you
I bet you know that energy is contagious and hence, who you spend time with can influence how you think and feel. Therefore, if you want to reconnect with your goals and dreams, go and talk to someone more successful than you, who shared similar goals and dreams as you, and someone who can inspire you.
Harvard sociologist, Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis studied how social networks impact drinking habits. And he discovered that if a close friend is a drinker, you are 50% more likely to become a drinker too. And if a friend of a friend drinks heavily, you are 36% more likely to get influenced and become a drinker.
This is why people often say you will become who you spend the most time with.
And thus, if you want to be inspired to pursue your goals and dreams, mix with people who are more successful than you.
- If you want to lose weight, spend time with people who are slim and fit.
- If you want to build a successful blog, network with other successful bloggers.
- If you want to become a best-selling author, make friends with authors who have done so.
When you talk and connect with someone who inspires you, you will inspire yourself to pursue your goals and dreams again.
Read: How to Surround Yourself with Positive People
6. Remind yourself of the purpose of the goals
So, why do you set the goals or dream the dreams in the first place? What’s your purpose?
Your ‘why’ is the most important criteria that will determine your level of commitment, and hence, influence your overall success in life.
When your purpose is strong and emotional, you become more committed and hence, are more determined to act even when things become tough.
So, if you want to reconnect with your goals and dreams, just remind yourself of your purpose for achieving them. Ask yourself, why do you want to achieve your goals? Why are your dreams important?
Do you know Tiger Woods used to train at midnight for hours in the rain? He is absolutely committed to golf because his purpose is clear – to become the best golfer in the world.
Read this blog post to understand better:
Why Your “Why” Matters – 8 Reasons to Discover Your “Why”
7. Take time off to recharge
Sometimes, you need to take time off to reconnect with your goals and dreams. This is especially true if you are feeling overwhelmed with what you have at hand right now.
According to this article, a study conducted by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) measured the effect of vacation time on an employee’s productivity. The study found that employees who took vacations showed higher levels of productivity, increased morale, and improved job satisfaction.
That’s right, taking time off can help increase your productivity. You will become even more connected with your goals and dreams after taking a vacation.
Why? It’s easy to understand. After you have enough play and fun time, your mind becomes fresh, and creative, and are ready to take on challenges again.
And this is why it is important to take rest and short breaks throughout the day. And take at least 1 day off each week. Schedule your play and fun time.
When your mind knows there is plenty of fun and playtime, you become more engaged with your work.
If you want to learn more about how play can make you connect better with success, read this book…
