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Let’s face it. There are thousands of ways that we can achieve our goals. Each of us have a passion to arrive, become, or create. The most beautiful thing in the world of business is when we align our goals to our passions because only then will we achieve something, become someone, or create anything that we are proud of and that produces income for us.
We can do anything for a period of time with a bit of “success” in it, however, sustainability becomes simple (notice I did not say easy) when we can align passions to goals. I talk to people every day about creating legacy in their business, and over the years I have gained some valuable insights from clients and colleagues about aligning goals and passions.
Here are 11 insights that will help you align goals with passion.
- Never stop learning. Deeper than that is to learn as you go. We can learn new skills and new techniques, however many of us can get stuck thinking and believing that we cannot move further until we learn something.
- Stay curious. Don’t be afraid to take that next step, even if it around a dark corner. The more curious you become, the more curious you are. If you have kids (or know kids or have ever been a kid yourself) you can watch their curiosity run their day. Never afraid to check out something new. We tens to lose that curiosity as adults. Why? Consequences. Kids don’t think about consequences. If they get one, they accept it (sometimes it can take a while), then move on. They don’t stay in one place. We can learn a lot about curiosity from them.
- Appreciate the process. Understanding that some things won’t work out or may take a longer time than hoped for will help keep you from stopping. Being present in your journey allows you to see all the nooks and crannies that are there and oftentimes those nooks and crannies deliver some great insights.
- Be patient with time. When we accept time as it is – a never ending never returning event in life, then time becomes our ally not our adversary. Because we see time as an ally, we are aware of what it can do and therefore we tend to use it more carefully, efficiently, and graciously.
- Write a six (6) month “I want it now” list. List out those things you want to accomplish in the next six months. No explanations, reasons, or justifications just write the list. Then…
- Write affirmations about the list. Under each item you wrote down, list out up to 10 affirmations (present tense) about those items because this will help make those goals specific. Writing these affirmations about what you want is powerful and authentic.
- Review your list. Now it is time to look over the list you created and see if what you wrote is measurable, motivational, and mature. Therefore, having wants that are measurable allows for you to track progress. When you are motivated to get what you want, you will push forward to obtain it. Finally, are your wants mature. If you live in an apartment in New York City, wanting a pony because you can afford one, but you never had one as a kid is not necessarily a mature goal. In other words, finding a house with land outside the city so you can purchase that pony is.
- If needed, rewrite your list. If any of your wants cannot be measured or they do not motivate you to strive for them or they are not mature, keep going until they are. Finally, tape the list somewhere you can see it every day.
- Invest 5-10 minutes a day for 21 days to review them. Allow yourself to mediate on your wants. Think about them. Mull them over in your head. Speak them out loud and notice any excitement or anticipation that comes up.
- Go be active. Physical exercise and exertion produce many results. One big result is the perseverance needed mentally. You’ll need it.
- Vision board your want list. If you don’t have a vision board, now is a great time to make one. If you have a vision board, and you have grasped these insights, review where you currently are in achieving your goals.
The Journey
The journey to pairing your goals to your passions is best when sprinkled with some fun. In conclusion, these 11 insights are meant to encourage, entice, and help you engage with yourself in deeper ways. Enjoy the journey.
International Educator, Speaker, Author, and Business Coach, Lori helps entrepreneurs and organizations focus on foundational tools needed for sustained success. As a Curriculum Designer and Business Professor, Lori has helped grow hundreds of organizations organically to build a true, long-lasting purpose. Lori has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, & various regional markets. She has authored / co-authored several books and works globally to support literacy, cancer research, young entrepreneurship, and military programs. Helping raise over three million dollars for literacy, Lori was awarded the Lifetime Presidential Service Award for her work. For more info visit www.lorimcneil.com.
