If You Are Ready to Achieve Your Dreams, Read This
Are you willing to do what it takes to achieve your dreams? Do you have what it takes? If you answered “yes” to these questions, great. You are ready to begin your journey to success. But do you know how to get there?
The Definition of Success
The meaning of “success” is different for every person. The terms by which you define “success” depend on your goals and priorities. For some, success could be defined in terms of their career: their salary, position, and how much they enjoy their work. If your first priority is your family, success may mean getting along with them, or being able to provide for them. And if you’re trying to learn to do something new, achieving success is mastering that new ability.
The point is, at any time there will probably be many different areas where you want to be a success, and each one will have its own benchmarks. No matter the category, there are 7 steps you can follow to reach success in anything you desire.
1. Embrace Self-Discipline
The first pillar is self-discipline, which should not be viewed as a punishment. Rather, self-discipline should be embraced out of love for yourself and your dreams. It may sound counter-intuitive, but self-discipline is rooted in self-love and positive thinking. If you are interested in understanding why, watch Fana Gueye’s video, “The Secrets of Abundance,” here. You will be amazed how powerful you will become when you start to love yourself.
2. Be Willing to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
When you find something you really believe in, you will do whatever it takes to achieve it. Let go of any fear that is holding you back, whether that be fear of failure, self-doubt, or cynicism, and be willing to take risks and seize hold of opportunities that feel right. The more you step out of your comfort zone, the more comfortable it becomes over time. Soon, you will find yourself achieving goals you never would have thought possible.
At the extreme edge of your comfort zone is a whole new world of possibility.
3. Find A Passion
Once you have built up the strength and work ethic necessary to achieve your goals, ask yourself: Does this make me happy? Am I willing to fail again and again for my dream? Do I feel that this is my “calling”?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you are passionate about your goals. Passion is the third pillar of success. It is what keeps the hardest work from becoming mundane, boring or difficult and keeps you dedicated. It pushes you to persevere through the difficult times, when you perhaps aren’t making as much money as you’d like, or are falling short of your own expectations.
4. Have a Positive Attitude
Before she became known by her first name, Oprah Winfrey grew up in extreme poverty and had an abusive childhood. Today, she’s one of the most influential people alive as the host of her own show, producer, actress and author. Oprah has stated that a key component in her journey to success was her positivity in the face of hardship.
Maintaining a positive attitude one may be difficult if you are a person who’s naturally more cynical or pessimistic. In the face of difficult challenges, the most successful people are the ones who are able to remain hopeful and frame the obstacles as learning experiences. With a positive, forward-looking outlook, you won’t get discouraged by setbacks quite as much.
5. Build A Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is the simple belief that you can develop, change and learn in positive ways. A growth mindset accepts failures as a chance to do better and come back stronger from it. It’s about always looking forward, not backward. It’s the opposite of a fixed, or stagnant mindset—a growth mindset gives you the power to change your life.
Luckily, it is possible for you to develop a growth mindset. It requires sifting through your past emotional baggage and a lot of self-reflection. This is not always something you can or should do on your own.
Meet Fana Gueye, a SolTV Founding Creator, and an intuitive trauma-informed mindset coach, healer, and spiritual teacher. She is the creator of Inner Dialogue® and specializes in helping her clients reach their fullest potential, find emotional healing and overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their happiness to help cultivate a growth mindset and their inner leadership. She is also a marketing and business consultant, and a multidisciplinary crypto artist bridging worlds with words, poetry, art, sound & tech.
6. Set SMART Goals
This step is best illustrated with an example. Let’s say you want to lose weight this year. Don’t try to tell yourself you need to lose 20 pounds in one month. That will only serve to overwhelm you—the journey will seem too arduous to even start. Instead, try creating easier, more realistic goals, using each one as a stepping stone to your final destination. Instead of feeling like you must go to the gym every single day, start by planning to go at least 3 times a week. Rather than cutting out processed foods entirely, try eating homemade food 5 days a week instead.
Try using the SMART technique to set healthy and concrete goals you will actually stick to:
Specific: Know exactly what you want to accomplish. When you are working toward a well-defined destination, you are more likely to stay motivated. Example: I want to lose 30 pounds in 6 months, vs. I want to lose weight.
Measurable: Set benchmarks each month to track your progress and adjust your goals as needed. Example: Losing 1 pound each week for the next 4 weeks.
Attainable: Meaning, realistic. Too-extreme goals will discourage you when you fail to reach them. Example: I want to be more toned vs. I want to look like The Rock.
Relevant: These types of goals make sense in the context of your specific situation. They don’t involve comparisons to anyone else—or past versions of your self—as a benchmark. Example: I want to live a healthier lifestyle as I get older vs. I want to look like I did when I was 20.
Time-based: Having a (realistic!) deadline puts pressure on you to get started and keep going. Example: I want to achieve my health goals by the middle of the year.
7. Eliminate Procrastination
You’ve learned many of the tools that you need to succeed. Self-discipline, taking risks, passion, and positivity are crucial, but they won’t get you anywhere if you never start. Studies show that over a quarter of adults consider themselves “chronic procrastinators” who actively choose to complete an easier and unimportant task rather than the more demanding task at hand.
Procrastination can be caused by perfectionism, having trouble prioritizing, or it can be a sign of more serious mental health issues. It commonly leads to guilt, shame and self-hatred, setting you back from the positive mindset discussed in Step 4.
Procrastination, as many of us know, can be extremely difficult to overcome; but it is necessary to do so to achieve success. When trying to overcome procrastination, there are 4 main mistakes most people make. Sign up for Fana Gueye’s free MasterClass, “Overcoming Self Sabotage & Procrastination,” to learn about these common pitfalls and how to avoid them so you can take action to fulfill your purpose and better your mental health in the long term.
For more tips on each of the steps to success, watch Fana Gueye’s video, “The Secrets of Abundance.”