Motivation

Way T0 Progress

8

No matter what stage of life you are in, you may feel as though you’re stuck in a rut and not able to get anywhere. Making any kind of progress, not matter how small, can keep you feeling healthy and engaged in life. By establishing and actively working towards specific goals, you can make progress in any aspect of your life that you like

1. Identify sources of insecurity. Being insecure can also hinder your progress. Figure out what may be causing you to feel less than confident, which can help you find a path to progress.

   • List causes of insecurity or anxiety for you. Consider which elements you have the power to change in order to make tangible progress.
   • For example, if you don’t have the same education as colleagues who are getting promotions, note that this may be causing a lack of confidence that affects your job performance.From here, you can either plan to further your education or distinguish yourself in some other way at work.
   • Speak to a friend, colleague, or counselor about your lack of confidence and what is causing it. Discuss ways that you can boost your confidence.
   • Offset your lack of confidence by focusing on something at which you excel or that gives you confidence. For example, if you don’t feel comfortable speaking in public, tell yourself that in spite of this, you write eloquent presentations.
2. 3
   Formulate tangible goals. Before you can start making changes that promote progress, you have to establish goals for yourself. By formulating specific aims for the short-, mid-, and long-term, you can easily remind yourself of what you’re working towards.

   • Use the SMART method to develop your specific goals. SMART stands for: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely. For example, maybe you want to improve your half marathon time. Your goal would be: “I want to improve my current half-marathon time by ten minutes within the next six months. I’ll add two extra speed workouts per week and incorporate hills into one of my other runs.”
   • Write your goals on paper. A visual cue can help reinforce your goals. For example, you could write the following: “My short-term goal is to take more initiative at work. My mid-term goal is to get a master’s degree and apply this to my job or another job. My long-term goal is to manage my own team at work.”
   • Update your goals as necessary. Every few months, reevaluate them as a benchmark and to ensure they’re still attainable.