If you’re anything like me, you often think of grandiose projects that seem so simple to do and end so beautifully – in your mind. But, once you start the project, you discover all the challenges and obstacles that you never envisaged along the way.
Here are a few steps to make sure that project gets done.
- Make A Plan
You are so excited! You have this terrific idea that you just know will work. So, you jump in and you start it with such enthusiasm. And then you hit a stumbling block and your energy fizzles.
The first step to finishing a task is making sure you have a plan at the beginning. A written plan. Mental notes are easily forgotten, scattered or disorganized. So, take it out of your head, put it on paper. Organize it. Prioritize it. This way you are able to view things objectively and see – and therefore plan for the challenges, assess the risks and have a mitigation strategy in place before they arise.
- Take A Break
If you find yourself getting overly frustrated or beginning to loathe the project because you’ve been working on it for so long, it’s okay to take a short break. This break will help reset your mind and focus. You might even be able to solve some of the problems you are facing while you take this little breather. Just make sure that you set an endpoint to your break, this way you can hold yourself accountable and not just abandon the project. From experience, you can get lost in solitaire and online games. You want to play or win just one more game. NOPE! Your time is up. Game over. Get back to working on your project.
- Make Small Goals and Rewards for Yourself
As you plan how you will conquer your task or project, break your goal into smaller mini-goals and then subdivide those into achievable tasks. Of course, you’ve written these down, right?
As soon as you complete a task, cross it off the list. There are lots of productivity apps out there to help you do this. They will help keep you on task, and you’ll feel as if you are making progress, even if it’s small.
Reward yourself when you’ve complete X number of tasks. The reward may be taking a break, walking around the room, getting a glass of juice, reading a book – you decide. However, don’t make your reward so distracting that it takes you off task!
So next time you get excited about a new project or goal in your life, slow down a bit and make a plan, complete with smaller goals and rewards for yourself. Then, as you pursue the project, don’t be afraid to take small breaks if you need to recuperate. Chances are, thanks to these three steps, you will be much more likely to accomplish your new goal.
P.S.
If your goal is really important but you are scared or frustrated, find an accountability partner. That way you are less likely to abandon the dream.
BTW
One of the ways we sabotage ourselves and our dreams is by abandoning the dream and/or not completing our goals.
