Push Toward Your Aspirations
As*pire{transitive verb} to want to have or achieve something (such as a particular career or level of success). To ascend. To soar.
In my last post, I referred to The Push it Process which is a goal setting system that focuses on reaching personal aspirations through a set of self identified steps toward them. I have begun to hone in on the aspirations I want to focus on this year. It’s been difficult to find the time and mental space needed to follow through with the process; however, I am not surprised.
If you declare war, you have to expect your opponent to retaliate.
I am choosing to declare war on some areas of dysfunction in my life so why wouldn’t my life fight back and resist any sniff of change. I shall push on, one step at a time (hold this pun for the second portion of the post). I chose to limit my focus to 3 main aspirations.I mention this because that is a number that works for me. take the time to find what works for you; too many and you are too overwhelmed to focus, too few and you don’t utilize enough focus to keep your attention over the long run. Find the balance.
After defining your aspirations, you must describe for yourself what it would be like for you once you achieve those aspirations.
aspiration: I want to be a successful business woman
Close your eyes and picture it; journal it or tell someone what you see when you look into the future at yourself as a successful business woman.
Operating and maintaining my own LLC,(don’t forget the details because you can have the papers and own the name but have a negative account balance and no customers . This may not be your picture of success.), that is earning me enough money to pay for itself and add to the education fund regularly. I see myself traveling to conferences and my network is filled with women and men making moves toward their own picture of success. I am able to work Where I want to work, and I balance my work and family obligations smoothly.
Keep in mind, aspiring to become or do or have something is a continual process of forward movement. The greatest part about “achieving goals” in this way is that you are ultimately setting yourself up to achieve, over and over again. It feels good to achieve what you set out to do. Building on these small accomplishments motivates you to keep pushing to be your best self. Within each moment, each decision you make and each act you decide to take in the process, there is a win. Acknowledge that each step is a push forward toward your aspiration.
Steps To Success
” success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” ~Maya Angelou
After defining what it means to you to, be a successful business woman, you must objectively describe how to accomplish that picture. For example, if you are not yet a business owner, outlining the steps to owning a business and accomplishing those steps come first in addressing that aspiration.I will lend another type of example; say that you aspire to expand your social network. After describing what that means to you (10000 social media connections and a member of active meet-ups and organizations), next you need the steps that get you there:
- posting and being more present on social media networks more often,
- joining in online group discussions
- looking into meet up groups or
- starting your own social meet up group,
are some ways to help you expand your network and they all have steps to make them happen. Fine tuning each step, setting some benchmarks and check- in dates that best fit your lifestyle (and attention span), are the nuts and bolts of the plans’ foundation. Pushing past each step, and celebrating along the way to your best self should be what you set out as the ultimate accomplishment. Only you know what effort is required to do and be your best. As a self proclaimed under achiever, I have a lot of pushing left in me. I plan not to settle for just enough to look good; but this year I’m aspiring toward all the greatness that God has gifted me with. Together we can work toward the same.
Prep for the Pitfalls
It’s inevitable that other things will attempt to get in your way when you try to complete a goal. This doesn’t sign the fate of that important task to complete. If you prepare for the distractions, the small achievements will add up, you will build the confidence you need to keep you moving in accordance to your plans. The more you do it, the more you began to believe in yourself. The first piece to this, is building the foundation. In one of my articles on starting your own business, I offer a few suggestions to add to your already brilliant plan to stay focused. Just keep in mind that in order for this process to work, you must focus on an aspiration then identify and map out the steps toward it first. This way when you start to lose focus ( even non-ADD’ers do, no one is perfect ), you have a plan already in place to guide you and keep the stress and pressure to a minimum. You will be surprised at how much you will accomplish when you set out to simply achieve and do your best. It is smart to keep the symptoms of our ADHD condition in mind, and the fact that we lose interest easily. One of the major perpetration tools to keep that in check is your support system. Plans for change don’t usually work out on its own alone with no one or nothing to hold you accountable for the plans you’ve made.
So, right now take a moment to write down your aspirations if you’ve been following and have had a few days to think on them. Let me know what they are in the comment section.
Then,tell our other fellow readers and me some of the major pitfalls you anticapate and how you will prep for them. I can’t wait to read them. Thanks again for reading and starting this off with me! 🙂
Savvy AD/HD Sista 