I wish I can speak 5 languages… I wish I can reach my ideal body weight…I wish I can travel the world…
Make a wish under the stars… It might just come true! But how? Charms, spells and hex bags Or, prayers and manifestations? If you come to think of it, all real goals in your life start with a wish. However, when these wishes are left under the mercy of undefined intangible forces, let’s face facts… they are most likely to remain mere wishes and may never materialize. In the words of French Writer Antoine de-Saint Exupéry, ‘A Goal Without A Plan is Just A Wish’… could truth be any clearer?
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Let’s Plan Your Goals So That Your Wishes Come True…
So, you wish you could speak 5 languages. You wake up every morning, get going with the daily grind and keep wishing that someday, you will have enough time to accommodate your wish.
So, you wish you could reach your ideal body weight… But, with a bag of fries, a pound cake and a list of late-night beer plans for the weekend, your wish is postponed, indefinitely.
You wish you could travel the world? But there are the chains of finances, work and responsibilities wrapped around your ankles.
Tangible obstacles like finances, health and responsibilities and intangible obstacles like mental blocks, laziness, pessimism and lack of self-confidence are real and literally everyone that has pursued a goal has encountered a few if not all of them in their journey to success.
If you are really serious about turning your wishes into actual goals, creating a plan and working around these obstacles is necessary.
Here’s a Compact list of actions to get you started right away…
Are Your Goals Relevant?
In my pre adult life, my Life goal was to take a trip to the Black Hole. I dedicated a year or two to odd astrophysics hard-bounds, courtesy, and the local library. As reality struck, I realized it may take a few hundred decades (give and take) for Black Hole Tourism to become a ‘thing’.
A goal without a plan is just a wish…
My wish thus, still remains a wish because there’s no way I can plan for and through after-life.
Determining the relevance of your goal is thus, your first step towards making relevant plans dedicated towards the same. If your goals make sense, be rest assured that you will be able to decide upon the right course of action to achieve what you wish to achieve.
Identify Obstacles
So, you wish you could reach your ideal body weight. This is a very relevant and realistic goal. So, why haven’t you been able to achieve it yet? To answer this, take a pen and paper, and jot down everything that is obstructing you from moving towards this otherwise relevant goal.
In this example, your obstructions are / can be…
- Lack of self-motivation
- Carb addiction
- Procrastination
- Disorganized thinking
- Financial restrictions that prevent you from hiring a trainer or take gym subscriptions
- Health issues and,
- Mental / psychological afflictions that take you back to food for comfort
Now that you know what’s on your way, chalk out a plan that works in favor of your goal. For example…
- Carb addiction? Switch to whole grain unrefined foods and nuts
- Cannot afford a gym? Walk 5 miles every day instead
- Health issues? Consult your doctor and choose workout plans that suit your health status
- Lack of self-motivation? Appoint a trusted friend for a friendly nudge when you get lazy
The list could go on…
Know everything you need to work towards your goal
So, you wish you could travel the world…
Landing up at the airport one fine day will only send you back home with disappointment. You need to learn about your Goal so that you can make proper plans towards achieving them.
For example, in this case, you will have to…
- plan destinations you wish to visit
- get details on passports and special permits
- learn about the culture and etiquettes of these places
- plan your finances
- learn about vaccinations and insurances that are necessary before entering certain countries
- language apps to break language barriers
- currency conversions and more
Gaining information that applies to your Goals can help you make impeccable plans that actually work.
Create a new schedule that features your goal
Pull out your planner and set a time dedicated to your new goal. It could be an hour a day or half, but it must feature in your updated schedule. In fact, you can pen it down among your top 5 priorities. This will ensure that you dedicate a sizable amount of time, effort and resources towards your aim which will fuel its manifestation.
Time management is the key to accommodate your goal without getting overwhelmed by it.
Set a Timeline
A Goal Without a Plan is Just a Wish… But, a Goal without a timeline is only a ‘Hope’.
So, you wish to speak 5 languages? And you hope that you can do it ‘someday’. When you substitute ‘someday’ with something like ‘next 5 years’ OR, ‘by the time I turn 40’ OR, ‘when the children are in college’ etc. you set a timeline. When your timeline is set, you can march towards your aim with proper plans, resources and confidence.
Say Hello RAS
Ever wondered how manifestations work? It is all about Reticular Activating System or RAS. This is the actual science behind ‘Manifestations’ and perhaps one of the smoothest ways to keep you moving towards your goal.
In simple words, RAS is a cluster of nerves located in the brainstem that filters non-essential information to allow only the most important particulars to reach our consciousness.
RAS is the reason why you can identify your name being called out in a din. RAS is the reason why you learn new words. RAS is the reason you notice things around you that are similar to the things you desire.
Simply put, RAS takes information from what you focus on, develops filters for the same and creates a pathway to validate your belief with the details it receives from you.
Now, imagine Affirming your Goals in the most tangible ways, like…
- Writing them down
- Saying them out aloud
- Believing that they will come true and,
- Active visualizing
Now, your RAS takes over, receives information from your thought inputs, filters possibilities and makes only the relevant information that matches your goals reach your conscious. You will suddenly see yourself finding the right ideas, the right people and the right opportunities that can take you closer to your goals.
Manifestations simplified? YES!
Mini Rewards for Mini Achievements
You’ve won the battle! It’s time for a treat. Mini rewards can keep you amply motivated to walk another mile with a smile on your face and a spring on your step. But remember, you are yet to win the war. So, keep going.
Final Thoughts
A goal without a plan is just a wish… But wishes are the sources of your goals and planning is your armory to help you achieve the same. You will trip and fall in the process, but keep going anyway. Continuity is the only intangible force that makes your goals a sure shot possibility. Keep manifesting and work your RAS in your favor and watch miracles unfold.
P.S:- We hope the article has helped you gain a little clarity on how planning is important for goal achievement. I’m planning to bring a few more intriguing topics to the plate 😊
