What Helps You Accomplish Goals?
In my series on Successful Goal Accomplishment
What helps you accomplish goals?
Self regulation is the center of Goal Accomplishment. If you can’t say no to yourself the chances for success diminish greatly. It is so important to resist the urge and give in to the voices in our head that tell us it is ok to quit when it becomes too difficult.
What good is it, if you can’t say no to a sale, or stop exercising at the beginning signs of fatigue. Why diet if you cannot refuse dessert after dinner. Denying yourself something you want or something that you are accustomed to having becomes part of the problem. Most of us have trouble sitting through this discomfort.
Behavior that is familiar becomes comfortable. A new behavior or action requires much more effort, concentration and determination.
Understanding self control is like a muscle. It gets stronger and weaker depending on just how much or how little you use it.
Here are some examples that cause us to use up our self control:
- Suppressing normal urges that use up too much mental energy
- Making decisions that involve self control such as dieting, budgeting
- Trying not to think about something in order to focus on something else
- Hiding something about yourself
Scientists are finding ways that can improve our will power.
- Make yourself laugh or smile
- Watch something funny
- A small amount of sugar especially in fruit recovers willpower
- Hide temptations
- Participate in a regular exercise program
- Get rid of clutter
- Eliminate some of your energy you use on busy work
- Meditate
Look at your goals especially ones that require you to have extra willpower and self control. Any daily action you perform that involves suppressing your impulses so that you can succeed in the areas that are important to you, will make you much better at self regulation.