Do you plan ahead in your life? Or do you just go with the flow? It’s important to plan and make a schedule if you want to achieve your goals. Most people don’t enjoy planning because it takes too much time and effort. However, studies have shown when you make a plan, you’re most likely going to stick to it. Here are some quick tips on planning for success that I currently use and can assure you that they work.
Tip #1 – Buy a Planner
For the past three years I have used a planner to write down my gym schedule, goals, work schedule, and school assignments. I now have become so accustomed to using a planner that I would feel lost without it. It has truly kept me on track with my fitness, career, personal, and educational goals. It is something I look at every day and I can measure mentally and visually with where I am at. There are all kinds of planners and they can be found at a good price. I bought my current planner at the dollar store in January. I typically try to write out my schedule for the week every Sunday. I will first write down my work schedule and then write in my gym schedule for each day. I personally try to make it to the gym at least six days a week right now. Once I write down those allotted times I feel more committed to actually going.
Tip #2 – Write Down Your Goals
Writing down your goals helps you to stay focused and committed. How can you arrive somewhere if you don’t know where you want to go? Writing down goals gives you a clear vision to follow and helps you keep what’s most important to you in perspective. My current goals are eating healthier, working out, building muscle, keeping a positive attitude, writing more, and continuing to become all I am meant to be. I of course have days where I don’t feel motivated or often times where I am depressed and feel out of focus. It puts me back on track when I am able to go back and look at my written goals.
Tip #3 – Have a Positive Attitude
It is important to have and keep a positive attitude. You can have a planner and all the goals in the world but without a positive can-do attitude you won’t get very far. It’s important to surround yourself with positive and encouraging people. People that push you to be the best you can be and live up to your fullest potential. Every positive thought counts and helps push you a little bit farther. Encourage others in your life and try to build them up. When we start to take the focus off of ourselves and start to help and edify others it actually makes us better and stronger.
Tip #4 – Read Encouraging Books and Articles
A great way to stay proactive and motivated is by reading positive and encouraging books and articles. I start my day off reading an inspirational article or a chapter in a good book. Readers are leaders and leaders are readers. It is important to keep not only your body active but your mind active as well. I believe it is your mind that keeps your body going and keeps pushing you to be stronger than you were the day before. We live in a very chaotic world that is full of negativity and devastation. It is important to block out the bad and focus on the good. The book I am currently reading is called “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People“. I recommend this book to anyone looking to succeed. It has seven key principles to living a successful life. The first principle is being proactive and keeping a positive can-do mindset. The author Stephen Covey knows how important it is to be proactive. Without this attitude you won’t go very far in life. You can also learn new ways of doing things or find new ideas that will help you be better.
Tip #5 – Push Yourself a Little Harder Each Day
My last tip is push yourself a little harder each day. I encourage you to push yourself a little harder at the gym or when it comes to your goals. Maybe start out telling yourself you can run one extra minute or perform one extra push up. Eventually those goals will double if not triple. Every positive thought and effort counts and will pay off. Do whatever you need to do to get out of your comfort zone and go the extra mile. I always tell people to try to go the extra mile because it’s never crowded and that extra mile will eventually pay off. That is what separates the good from the great. The great are willing to go farther, push harder, and go the extra mile. If you feel you cannot push yourself don’t be afraid to ask for help. Hire a personal trainer or buy motivational fitness DVD’s. I know I personally have enjoyed doing P90x and saw major results as well as using the workout DVD Insanity. They are tough videos but they definitely push you to do better and become stronger.
I hope the tips I have provided will help you in your journey to greatness. Remember, the first step to achieving your goals and dreams is deciding you’re worth it. Never forget how valuable you are and the fact that you are alive for a reason. Life is too short to waste another day hoping and wishing for change. It’s time to rise up and believe in yourself, so go out there and make it happen! You’ll find the only thing you’ll regret is the fact you wish you would have started sooner! Today is your day to make the changes you’ve been wishing and hoping for. The only person standing in the way of your destiny and dreams is your mind and the decision to try. Every expert in anything was once a beginner and often it started with a little proactive planning and the decision to try. After interviewing many successful people, the one thing I heard the most often is that they wish they would have started living their dreams sooner. Time is very valuable so don’t let your time pass you by.
