Tricks to Maintain Consistency to Pursue Your Goals

Motivation is a double-edged sword when it comes to pursuing our goals. On the one hand, without motivation we would be unable to undertake a new project or try to achieve a specific goal. When we decide to get going, it is common to feel energetic and excited about the expectations we have in relation to the new path to follow. However, motivation is perishable, it is ephemeral. Sooner or later, there will come a point at which the exaltation dissipates, and the interest we had in fulfilling a dream or goal diminishes.

These emotional manifestations, such as fatigue or apparent apathy, do not strictly mean that our goal has stopped caring. Most likely, the most difficult emotions—such as fear of failing, fear of what people will say, or frustration—appear when we face the first challenges that stand in the way of our goal. However, we can no longer rely on motivation to drag us toward a life we ​​consider worthwhile. It is here where Another faculty that is more reliable than motivation in the long term comes into play: perseverance

Consistency: a change of perspective

Now, although we often revel in how important consistency is when developing new habits in pursuit of achieving our goals, the reality is that many people do not know how to be consistent with what they set out to do. And it is logical that this happens: living in consumer societies, we have become accustomed to intense pleasures and instant gratification, to being able to obtain what we want at this precise moment and enjoy it immediately.

It is expected that we will transfer this structure to the level of personal development and the pursuit of new objectives, but we know well that these areas do not work in the same way.

Fulfilling a long-term objective requires that we be able to take risks For this reason, perseverance is not just repeating a behavior in a sustained manner over time, but learning to radically accept the fact that obstacles will appear, both external and internal, when pursuing what we so much want to achieve. Consistency means being friendly with trial and error; It implies dispensing with irrational perfectionism; It requires accepting that we can move towards our goals even if we feel insecure, even believing that we are not sufficiently prepared to achieve it, something that could easily limit our mind if we tend to suffer from imposter syndrome.

In short, being constant means adhering to the idea that, despite being afraid and doubting our abilities, we choose to pursue a goal because our desire is greater than our fears.

This perspective on consistency differs slightly from the view of what “being consistent” meant decades ago. We are not talking about pushing ourselves to work on our objective no matter what and at any cost, but rather we are referring to flexible perseverance, being able to review the goals we set and modify them if necessary. The proposed perseverance requires effort, but it also contemplates the possibility that in the face of life’s adversities we may have to adjust the plan Without a doubt, it sounds like a faculty worth cultivating, but it is also true that many people do not know how to be more consistent with their goals in the long term and not abandon them. To facilitate this process, below we point out some tricks to maintain consistency when meeting objectives.

1. Plan ahead

Much is said about the importance of planning to achieve a goal. However, sometimes we tend to ignore the fact that, when planning, it is crucial to set attainable goals and specifically describe how we will act to achieve them. For example, if we intend to write an essay, it is a good idea to separate that task into smaller ones, say, writing two pages in a period of a certain number of hours.

However, we could formulate that same goal more effectively if we dare to look at it in more detail. When we plan, We must describe short-term goals as accurately as possible, not with the aim of aiming for thoroughness just for the sake of it, but rather to increase the chances that we will get going. Continuing with this example, we could plan to write the first two pages of the essay on Wednesday, right after lunch, in the cafeteria; that is, determining a place, a time of day and a preceding event. Specificity helps us develop a representation of the action we will perform, which increases the chances that we will perform it. Using concrete, simple and intelligent planning will help us increase our consistency.

2. Eliminate distractions

Too many distractions can sabotage following our plan. For that reason, we must make the task as easy as we can and eliminate as many distractions as possible, since, if we notice that we are making progress and meeting our short-term goals, we will reinforce the repetition of the behaviors that keep us moving forward. Distractions interfere with our goals and threaten adherence to the plan

If we wanted to finish our two pages of the essay in the time and moment of the day that we proposed, we could leave our phone in another room or in a place where we cannot see it, in a drawer or on top of a piece of furniture. Also, if we do not need Internet access, we could disconnect the WiFi from our computer and activate “concentration mode” in the word processor. It is essential to detect which distractions we fall into most frequently and devise strategies—often creative—to reduce their impact on our plan.

3. Tell someone

Social commitment is one of the factors that make us more consistent with our objectives. Telling a friend or family member that we are determined to pursue a goal, even if that person is not strictly related to what we want to achieve, will cause us to commit to the objective.

4. Reward yourself for small achievements

Without a doubt, people underestimate how important rewards are to maintaining consistency. Just as we set short-term goals, we must also determine how we will reward ourselves as we take those small steps toward the goal. This also makes May we be more aware of our progress; that we enjoy the process and not just the final result.

5. Maintain a self-compassionate attitude

Self-compassion is adopting a gentle attitude toward yourself as you move forward with a project that, as we mentioned previously, can bring with it an avalanche of emotions and thoughts that are difficult to navigate. Sometimes, the biggest challenge when it comes to staying consistent with our goals comes not from the external world but from ourselves. Self-compassion is a crucial skill to remind us that we are human, that we are doing the best we can, and that even following all this advice we can make mistakes. Accepting the setbacks and discomfort that accompany the pursuit of a goal, but still deciding to take small steps to get closer to it, is a fundamental pillar for cultivating perseverance.