Achieving Personal Goals

 
Taking action toward your goal on a regular basis is essential to reaching it. We’ve seen repeatedly that the ability to pursue a goal consistently over time produces consistent results.

But “sticking with it” over the long haul (what Psychologists call ‘Grit‘) is not an innate characteristic that we all share (more about Grit).
What are the ways we can help ourselves produce this behavior? What is it that keeps us on track over the long haul?

Habit

The simple act of pure, unconscious repetition, without thought of outcome or even reason, is not a literal form of motivation, but . We brush our teeth every morning knowing it’s a good thing to do, but we certanly don’t weight the benefits each time. We do it out of pure repetition. Many people have incorporated their fitness routine as a habitual part of their day (stop at the gym every day on the way home from work).

Pull Motivation

A/k/a positive feelings. The satisfaction that comes from a sense of accomplishment, improving your social or financial situation, increasing your sense of self-worth or praise from peers or co-workers all serve as positive motivators.

Push Motivation

A/k/a negative feelings. Most push motivation comes from fear, such as fear of losing your job, being broke, being criticized, getting embarrassed or being left out. None of these are pleasant emotions you would seek out, so the avoidance of these feelings can be a powerful motivator.

You can determine the pros and cons of each method and which is “best” for you. My objective is simply to raise your awareness of encourage you to find whatever approach will best enable you to reach your goal.

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