Do you have your goals and aspirations clearly defined and set out? Or are you still feeling unclear on what you really want to accomplish right now? While many people wait for a new phase in life, like a new year or new job, as an opportunity to consider their goals, you don't have to wait for big moments to spark fresh optimism and possibility. So let's start today. Let's start now!
Gaining focus and direction is the first vital step to manifesting the future you are striving for. The intentional act of reflection not only helps provide perspective on recent challenges and achievements, but also sheds light on our core motivations and values to guide the path forward with meaning and momentum.
Let's walk through a simple 3-phase process that helps translates your thoughts and ideas into tangible, focused plans of action. With clarity of your desired destination, we’ll light the pathway and start heading there purposefully, one step at a time.
Phase 1 : The Power of Self-Reflection
We live a pace of life in today's world that means we rarely pause long enough to process the lessons we've learnt or the course we are on, unless we intentionally create the space for it. Pausing to reflect provides the perfect catalyst and clean canvas to hit reset.
Start by looking back on your recent experiences. Assess what has worked well and what you can carry forward and build upon. Equally note the areas for improvement or change.
A guide to self-reflection
Professional
What progress have you make towards your goals?
When did you feel most engaged and productive?
What new skills have you acquired?
Personal growth
How have you developed confidence, abilities, or perspectives?
When have you felt proudest of yourself?
Relationships
Who energises and supports you?
How can you deepen key connections?
Lifestyle
What habits enable your best performance?
How balanced and aligned are your days to your priorities?
Challenges
What problems have you encountered?
How have you navigated difficulties?
What lessons have periods of hardship taught you?
Joys
What moments have brought you vitality, meaning and purpose?
Where should you introduce more of these activities?
As you consider your responses, key themes will emerge highlighting your core motivations, natural strengths, and growth areas to build upon. You’ll gain clarity on environments and activities that fuel you with purpose. Imbalance between your lifestyle and values will also become apparent. Journal your thoughts, noting and visually mapping patterns and observations. It can also often be helpful to talk about your reflections to help crystallise the learnings you can take from them.
These insights then guide your intentional focus moving ahead. Reflection illuminates where to double down on what’s working, while changing course in less fulfilling areas.
Phase 2: Vision Your Boldest Aspirations
After gaining perspective from reflecting on the past, shift your focus forward. Envisioning the brightest possibilities ahead allows you to get specific about how you’ll make them real.
Give yourself permission to dream big without self-judgment or limitations. You can always refine ideas later. Capturing your boldest ambitions and best-case scenarios plants seeds for extraordinary possibilities to grow.
A guide to goal setting (and dreaming big)
Career
What level of expertise, leadership or innovation do you aspire to achieve?
How will you positively impact your organisation?
Relationships
What connections meaningfully enrich your life?
How do you wish to nurture them?
Development
What knowledge, abilities or mindsets will accelerate your growth?
What new behaviours do you aim to exhibit?
Lifestyle
What daily practices and routines boost your wellbeing and ability to thrive?
How will you create more joy?
Purpose
What activities provide a sense of meaning, self-expression and vitality?
How will these feature prominently?
Visualise your ideal future self through journaling, vision boards with inspiring images/words, or guided meditation accessing a vivid imagined state.
Once you have clarity of the destination you see ahead, you can chart the course required to get there. Don't immediately restrict the possibilities because of current circumstances. Your role is simply to set the visions and start map the pathway leading to their realisation.
Phase 3 : Execute Consistently With Focus
Aspirations without structure quickly fall off track, and big visions only become achievable once broken down into incremental steps. Meaningful change requires a commitment to consistent actions over time, with small steps compounding to create substantial progress.
Plotting interim milestones makes progress tangible. With metrics defining success, progress becomes measurable and you can more easily reset and redirect as needed.
A guide to setting milestones
Timeframes
Assign specific deadlines. Consider setting 3 month, 1 month and 1 week milestones. Daily or weekly actions will then flow.
Metrics
Attach measurable indicators of progress. These might be income targets, new customer leads, pounds lost, books read, skills acquired etc.
Accountability
Share plans with a coach, mentor or accountability group. Verbalising goals will reinforce your commitment, and getting objective feedback will help refine your focus and direction.
Support
Identify resources needed to achieve each step. These could include learning courses, additional staff, or technology, and proactively close the gaps.
Challenges
Anticipate obstacles, distractions or limiting beliefs that may derail focus. Develop plans to navigate them and mentally rehearse the scenario to help prevent being caught off guard.
Rewards
Schedule periodic celebrations of progress. Even small wins deserve acknowledgment and moments of joy will fuel the journey.
Once your detailed plan is mapped, diligently work it day-by-day, week-by-week. Remain adaptable, but don’t lose sight of the end goal. The routines and schedules you set out will build the rhythm to make progress. Even 15 minutes daily moves the needle.
When distractions or obstacles arise, pause to revisit the motivation behind your original intention before deciding your response. Always use the vision of your future self as a North Star to guide you back on course.
Reflect on any learnings then adapt and optimise plans as needed. Be sure to review achievements made towards each milestone and enjoy the feeling of satisfaction of moving towards your goal.
An intentional system of reflection, vision, and consistent execution will lead to extraordinary results over time.
The Key Role of an Accountability Partner
Self-discipline can waver even with the best plans and our inner critics love derailing progress. This makes objective support crucial. The right mentor or coach provides five forms of accountability that maximise follow through:
Direction
An outside perspective guides appropriate goal setting and feasible next steps. They expand possibilities beyond your own thinking.
Wisdom
Coaches who’ve walked a similar path before provide hard-won insights on both strategic breakthroughs and avoiding pitfalls.
Motivation
Shared accountability keeps determination strong when inner resolve weakens. A partner’s belief in your potential uplifts on difficult days.
Feedback
Candid input highlights blind spots and the need for tactical adjustments to plans when required.
Support
Your coach becomes a sounding board for celebrating small wins and
breakthroughs. They also talk you through frustrations so you can rebound quickly.
Alone we often lose perspective and patience, but the right support accelerates results exponentially faster. So in addition to your own reflection, share your goals and plans with a trusted mentor or coach. Invite constructive feedback and guidance. Say your ambitions aloud. The accountability will help you follow through with the actions you need to take.
Putting It All Together
Rather than passively waiting for change, dedicate time to proactively create your circumstances. Lay the foundations through self-reflection, clear vision and tactical steps to build the future deliberately.
The time invested in planning and preparation is what enables the breakthrough outcomes. So be rigorous. Here’s a recap of the 3-phase process for making this your best chapter yet:
Reflection - Assess recent achievements and shortcomings. Uncover core motivations and values.
Vision - Envision your extraordinary future self across all dimensions - career, relationships, growth.
Execution - Break down your big vision into incremental milestones with timeframes, metrics and resources. Build in accountability supports like a coach. Follow your plan diligently through routines while reviewing progress and adapting as needed.
The satisfaction of moving intentionally towards your potential is immense. Your opportunity to create focus, momentum and meaning awaits. The time to build the future you aspire to is now!
Levelation provides programs that identify and unlock your natural talents and motivations, and create plans targeted to activate your untapped potential to achieve your goals. Schedule a free discovery session today and start unlocking the confidence, energy and results your future self will thank you for.