Having clarity about your goals is essential to having the motivation to achieve those goals. If you’re not clear on what you’re doing, it’s hard to be motivated. Unfortunately, having a lack of clarity is why so many people settle for less than their dreams. You want clarity so badly that you’re willing to settle for lesser goals, simply because the path to getting your true goal is less obvious.
Here’s how you can find the clarity and understanding to achieve your biggest goals.
1. Embrace the unknown.
Most people perceive the unknown as threatening, signifying a low tolerance for ambiguity. As we get older though, we desire for surety and security keeps us safely protected in our comfort zone. The more satisfied you are with your work, the higher your tolerance for ambiguity. In other words, if you enjoy and believe in what you’re doing, you’ll take on the emotional discomfort of the unknown.
2. Find clarity.
Having goal clarity is essential to motivation. Consequently, to get motivated to achieve your big dreams, you need clarity. But this does not mean you have it all figured out. It means you’re clear on the next step or two.
“Clarity of vision is the key to achieving your objectives.”
-Tom Steyer
3. Learn with a purpose.
When you seek learning, it should be purposeful. Self-directed learning is highly correlated with learning satisfaction. Thus, what you learn should clearly connect with your interests and goals.
4. Set specific goals.
Once the learning is complete, you need to take it into the real world. You do this by setting huge goals requiring you to use the knowledge you’ve just acquired.
5. Accountability.
Self-regulation is the psychological process that detects inconsistency between your goals and your behaviors. It is the ignition of your motivational forces helping you get from where you are to where you want to be.
Striving to accomplish big goals is not easy. Most people will give up on their dreams to have a clear path to lesser goals. If you want to move quickly toward your big goals, you’ll need to become proficient at acquiring clarity for the next few steps of your journey.