By Lyndsey Hall
‘Fake it ‘til you make it.’ – Unknown
‘She believed she could, so she did.’ – R. S. Grey
‘If you can dream it, you can do it.’ – Walt Disney
What do all of these popular motivational phrases have in common? They all start with self-belief.
Now, believing in yourself won’t get you all of the way, you have to put in a little (or a lot of) effort, but it’s an essential part of the equation. So how can positive thought help you to achieve your dreams and ambitions?
How to manifest what you want in life
Don’t worry, you won’t have to shell out on crystals or tarot cards, or books about the Law of Attraction (unless that works for you, in which case go for it).
Manifestation doesn’t have to be wishy-washy or hippy-dippy—it has nothing to do with magic and everything to do with energy. It boils down to believing in yourself, focusing on your goals and telling yourself that you deserve to achieve them. Because, if not you, then who?
For example, have you ever met someone who was so positive and upbeat that they gave off a great vibe, drawing people to them and opening doors left, right and centre? It can often seem as though all the best opportunities always go to the same people.
You’ve almost definitely come across someone with the opposite effect; someone whose negativity pushed others away and only lead to more rejection and obstacles. Because when we genuinely believe in ourselves and our ability to get what we want, we’re more likely to take positive action towards achieving our goals.
5 steps to achieving your goals
1. Know your goal
Where do you see yourself in 12 months? Or five years? Or ten? In order to manifest the future you want, you need to visualise it fully. It’s like taking a drive without knowing your destination—you might get somewhere you like eventually, after lots of dead end turns and bumpy roads, but if you have a great destination in mind when you set off you’ll consciously choose a route that gets you there directly. You might still decide to take the slower, more scenic route, but ultimately you know where you’re headed and every choice you make is getting you one step closer.
2. State your intention
Grab a notebook and a pen, or open the Memo app on your phone and write down what you want to achieve. It can be as detailed or as vague as you like, but writing down your goal is a huge step towards achieving it. It might be the first time you’ve taken the idea out of your head and put it into the world, admitting to yourself that this is what you want. Or you might already have told your family and friends about your ambition, but either way, having it written down in black and white will act as a reminder on days when your belief or your determination waiver.
3. Believe it can be yours
Self-belief. It’s absolutely crucial to achieving what you want and opening the door to more opportunities. Not naturally self-confident? If you tend to assume that others are better/smarter/braver than you and that they deserve their success and you don’t, then it can be challenging to convince yourself otherwise. Ready to discover your new secret weapon to self-belief and motivation? Podcasts.
Download any podcast app and start subscribing to podcasts about your chosen ambition (Google is your friend here). Listen every day, when you’re driving to work, making dinner or doing the hoovering, and before you know it you’ll be chomping at the bit to reach for your dream. Hearing from people just like you who took the leap and achieved their dreams will reassure you that there’s no reason why you can’t be the next success story.
4. Have a little patience
So, you know what you want and you believe you can have it, now comes the hard part: waiting until the time is right. “Patience is a virtue”, as they say, and “all things come to those who wait”. Well, these phrases are about to become your mantra. Manifesting your dreams and ambitions isn’t a quick fix, it’s a long process involving hard work, both internal and external. But by focusing your mind on positive thoughts, and taking part in some positive action, in time you’ll start to notice a change and see how much closer you’ve come to reaching your goals. How much time depends on several factors, there’s no one-size-fits-all option for achieving your dreams, but it will be worth the wait.
5. Embrace opportunity
“There are no mistakes, only opportunities.” – Tina Fey
If you’ve been following our advice and know your goal, you’re focused on reaching it and believe it can and will be yours, then your eyes and ears will be open when opportunity eventually appears. Sometimes it may be subtle, or disguised as something else, and other times it may be daunting in its overtness, but as long as you’re looking for it and open to embracing it, you will never miss your chance. Take a risk; accept the invitation; make the leap, because the only way to fail is to stand on the side-lines watching everybody else achieve their goals. If you’re in the thick of it, making mistakes, moving towards your dream, you can never fail. Failing is giving up; if you pick yourself up and try again you’re not a failure, and next time you might just make it.
As Henry Ford famously said, ‘Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right’. The power of positive thought, when coupled with positive action, is unlimited. Follow our five step plan to achieving your goals and you’re almost guaranteed to succeed.
What are your top tips for achieving your goals and reaching for your dreams? Leave a comment below or get in touch of Facebook and Twitter.
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