Starting projects, setting goals, and agreeing to commitments is relatively easy. What most people struggle with is the ability to follow through with those engagements. Thankfully, this is a skill that you can improve and build up over time. Don’t just create a list of goals and watch it grow while seldom achieving them. Instead, do everything you can to reach success.
Set Goals That Support Follow Through
First, it’s important to make reasonable goals. Don’t plan to conquer them immediately. Good things take time. When you’re setting a goal, recognize its priority. Maybe you’ve got a goal of becoming a better basketball player, but that shouldn’t be at the top of your to-do list (unless you’re already a professional and your career depends on it). If your goal is to manage your finances better and start budgeting, so that you can pay rent or provide for your family, prioritize that goal. It’s perfectly fine to move a goal higher on your list of to-dos if it’ll affect your day-to-day life.
Determine the size of your goal and if you need to break it down into smaller steps. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed of taking a longer path. In the end, your destination will be the same. Taking a longer route toward your goals will also help you appreciate each step in the journey to your main goal.
Some other helpful tips when setting goals are:
- Set specific goals.
- Keep them on your mind, always.
- Find ways to hold yourself accountable.
- Set boundaries.
- Strive for a completed goal, not perfection.
For more details about these tips, check out this article.
Create a Follow Through Mindset
Encouraging your follow through may not always feel simple, but it can be. Instead of forcefully trying to get to the finish line, try to get there with ease. Focus on what appeals to you and motivates you. Sometimes it’s as simple as reframing the way you look at the act of following through. In life, most people are just trying to do the right thing. If you’re able to convince yourself that following through is the right thing, you’ll find motivation much easier.
You can also ask your friends and family to help you work toward your goals. You may just need a nudge and encouragement in the right direction. Or, you may need them to ask you, “What’s taking so long?” Everyone is different and should find the method of motivation that works best for them.
Some of us feel pressure when we know that there’s a time limit on a task. If your goal can be broken up into multiple tasks, try that approach. After breaking your goal down into different steps, set a time frame to complete each one. Don’t set deadlines that cause you to rush through each task. Your time limit should be well thought out and reasonable. Be honest with yourself in assessing how long it will take you to finish the project.
When in doubt, just begin! It’s better to start something off in the wrong spot than to not start at all. Starting the process is making progress. Once you get moving, you’ll know what pace to set for yourself. Feeling discouraged? Think about every time you’ve reached a goal in the past. You probably gained some confidence, right? If you continue to chase your goal and reach it, you’ll get that same feeling and have the momentum to set more goals. Once you gain that momentum, don’t ease up on the gas pedal. Keep flooring it and follow through to the next goal.
Complete What You Start
No matter your goals, commitments, or engagements, you can use the follow through mindset in every aspect of your life. Here are five more steps to help you follow through on everything. Too many people start things and don’t see them through to the end. Finish everything you start, even if it takes longer than expected. Push yourself and believe that you’re capable of anything. Because if you believe it, it’s true.
Is Fear Blocking Your Follow Through?
Sometimes fear can hold you back from following through with a goal. Maybe you’re afraid that you’ll fail along the way. Perhaps you’re scared that once you achieve a big goal, your life will no longer be the same. It’s natural to have fears like this, but don’t let them stop you from achieving your dreams. Read our blog for three reminders to calm your fears.
