Congratulations! By choosing to participate in this 90 day challenge, you’ve made yourself and your goals a priority. Whether you want to get in shape, write a novel, move to a new country, or learn a new skill, you’re well on your way to making your dream(s) come true.
Let’s be honest, it isn’t easy to change your life. If it were, everyone would be the best version of themselves. But, we all have the power to self-actualize; to evolve in a way that we’re proud of.
Whether you realize it or not, you’ve already begun to manifest your higher-self, by recognizing a need to change. Improving yourself can be as simple as changing your habits. By committing to the practice of change you can become the person you know you can be.
In order to achieve your goals, it’s important to identify why they are important in the first place. This can be accomplished with a little soul-searching. Notice I didn’t say you should think about the reason you want to change. The mind can sometime betray us. For lasting change, it is the subconscious that needs a little probing.
Let’s say you want to lose weight; ask yourself why? The mind may immediately respond with something external like, “Because I will look better, or feel sexier, or get someone’s approval.” That’s the ego talking. The real reason may begin with, because I’ll feel better about myself. Go a step further; continue to ask yourself why, until you get to the root of the issue.
There’s no right or wrong answer, and you certainly don’t need to know the reason to get started, but ask your subconscious to work on it. Then let it go.
A commitment to your goal(s) means ignoring the protests of the mind. It isn’t determination that will get you to the end-goal it’s action… no matter how you feel about it. Inevitably your thoughts will attempt to sabotage the desires of your spirit. Notice when your mind is working against you; thoughts such as: I don’t feel like…, it’s just one…, I’ll do it later, need to be ignored.
When you are tempted to abandon the mission, take a moment to imagine you’ve already successfully completed the 90 Day Challenge. How do you feel? Focus on that sense of accomplishment. Focus on the reward of feeling great about yourself. Acknowledge the accomplishments of your future self. See how it feels to be able to say, I did it. I REALLY did it!
When you want to achieve a goal, it’s imperative to know when you, or anyone else, is working against the dream. Very often, change— true change— makes other people (at the least) uncomfortable and, at the worst, combative. Why? Two reasons: 1) they’re afraid you’ll outgrow them and 2) you, inadvertently, become a mirror; reflecting their (self-perceived) shortcomings.
Remember, what other people feel isn’t your responsibility. Anyone who subtly encourages you to be the smallest version of yourself, is not an ally. The truth is, you may outgrow some friends. When you begin to change, so will your social network. The closer you get to manifesting your authentic self, the more attractive you will become; not just physically— although you will radiate confidence— I mean you will attract like-minded people.
If your goal is to learn to Salsa, you will become part of a community of people with the same passion. If you join a gym, take a writing class, or simply go for a daily walk, your life will change simply because of the new “scenes” you’re in.
A goal is, in the most basic sense, a desire to change what isto what it can be. The reason to change may be as simple as acknowledging that what isisn’t in line with your soul’s desire. Writing down your goal, and documenting actionable steps is the blueprint for success.
You must simply commit to your commitments, focus on the outcome, and don’t let anything or anyone— including yourself— deter you. Your spirit knows you what you truly want and why. If you’re ready to commit to your goal, I’ll guarantee that 90 days from now you’ll be living a completely different life. One you will be proud of.
Let’s get started. Yes… right now.
- Write down your goal. Just one. Having more than one goal is a recipe for disaster. After you succeed with the 90 day challenge, you can always commit to something new.
- Document ways to achieve your goal. This is a brainstorming exercise. For example, if you want to learn about photography, how many ways can you do that? The larger the variety of options the more likely you are to remain committed. Remember, boredom is a goal killer.
- Create an action plan. This is where you tell yourself when you will do what. This is a daily, weekly, monthly plan that you willingly choose and commit to… no matter what.
- Add your commitments to the calendar and never deviate from the plan. There’s no better feeling than knowing you can trust yourself to keep your promises on a regular basis.
- Document your accomplishments in the notes section. Not just what you did, but how the achievement made you feel. This is an area dedicated solely to positive reinforcement. It’s a daily reminder of how good it feels to stay on the path of self-improvement. You can also add motivational quotes, compliments you’ve received, or ideas to enhance your focus.
- Get support. Again, change isn’t easy, especially if you’re doing it alone. Find people who will contribute to your success. This could mean finding a reliable walking partner, mentors in a field of interest, an accountability coach, etc.
Remember, this is an exciting time. You’ve gathered the courage to set a goal and are committed to becoming a better version of yourself. Transformation is a beautiful thing. 90 days from now you’ll have bragging rights , and we can’t wait to hear about the new you!
