Napoleon Hill once said, “The starting point of all achievement is desire.”
You don’t have to wait for any particular time of year – the present moment can serve as the perfect starting point for you to set new goals or evaluate existing ones.
As you do this, remember to maintain a positive mindset and make self-confidence a primary goal for this year. You can do it!
Whatever goal you’re working on, you’ll discover that your confidence also grows with each small step that you take, each milestone you achieve.
What a way to kick off the New Year – goal setting and raising your self-esteem!
Align Goals with Your Core Values
We all have desires and dreams, yet so often, we feel “stuck” in the same place. At one point or another, many of us feel as though we’re running on a treadmill as fast as we can to get ahead – never really getting anywhere in the process.
When this happens, take a moment to check in with yourself to see if you’re even enjoying your job, the company you work for…even the field you work in. What about your life? Do you feel like you’re living in alignment with your core values?
In a Harvard Business Review article, Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers, the authors point out that “Effective leaders develop a sense of purpose by pursuing goals that align with their personal values and advance the collective good.”
Moreover, the authors explain that when goals are aligned with personal values, leaders can look beyond their present state of affairs to the possibilities that lie ahead. For many, these positive opportunities can be a strong motivator to finally take action despite doubts and insecurities.
Why You Need to Set Clear Goals
Success breeds confidence.
-Beryl Markham
How clear are your goals…really? People who have achieved great success usually set very clear objectives along the way. Think about it – how can you achieve a goal that isn’t very clear?
Setting goals with a laser focus establishes the foundation for your success – and allows you to determine what your next steps will be.
When you consider a goal you’ve set for yourself, you need to ask why it matters to you. What does it look like – how satisfying is this goal for you? Really let your answers sink in – this will help you gain even more clarity as you move ahead.
Let’s say you want to get a seat on that next project or apply for a promotion. If this is really your objective, why? What does it mean for you? What does it look like?
In my own life, I can affirm that getting clear about my goal and the “why” behind it helped me ultimately take the actions I did to move my career forward in the most effective direction.
Don’t Fear Failure…Redefine It!
What does so-called success or failure matter if only you have succeeded in doing the thing you set out to do. The DOING is all that really counts.
-Eva Le Gallienne
Setting goals means taking charge of your life, determining where you want to be, what you want to achieve – and why you want to achieve it. If you don’t achieve a goal you set for yourself – don’t despair!
There’s an old saying that there is a lesson in everything, whether it was a positive or negative experience. When you’re serious about goal setting, you’ll learn from your mistakes – and turn them into achievements…building confidence all the way.
• Be realistic when you set goals for yourself.
• Be patient with yourself as you navigate the path to success.
• Reward yourself and honor yourself for goals achieved!
You may find that staying dedicated to your goals can bring even more to your life than the reward of a goal achieved – your self-esteem gets a boost as well. It’s a win-win situation. You’ll find yourself achieving more in life – and feeling better about yourself, too.
If self-confidence is one of your goals for 2015, be sure to sign up for my FREE e-series! Or, contact me via email or by visiting my website, BolderMoves.com, anytime!
Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
Colleen Slaughter, Proud Executive Coach to the UN World Food Program, the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
As an Executive Coach for Women in Leadership and Transformational Facilitator, my intention is to help leaders in positions of high influence to understand their worth at a profound level.
Supporting women leaders to truly thrive and step into their greatness, while succeeding in male-dominated industries and spaces is my native genius.
My technique and approach show you how to achieve incredible career success without compromising any part of who you are and what makes you magnificent.