“No guts, no glory” – Frederick Blesse
No amount of success can be achieved without the sacrifice and pain one has to endure along the way. If you want to achieve your personal goals this year in any endeavor for that matter, there are no shortcuts. But the very first step how this adage works is to have the courage to get into the battle and not run away from it. I used to fall into the cycle of fear – I want to start something but I do not have the confidence to do so; I want to have confidence but I do not want to take risks… and it went on and on. Then I realized this cycle made me worse each time. Hence, I decided to step out of that cycle and do what I had to. One bold step at a time. Let me share with you how I achieve success in any endeavor by keeping a muster of courage in small steps to accompany me in the journey called life. You to can do this to achieve your personal goals. #1 Determine where you want to go and your fear will be clouded by inspiration. What is your dream? What do you want to be? What legacy do you want to leave? It does not have to be just about you. It can be doing something for others. Once you know where you want to go, be clear about this with yourself. Write it down, talk it out with someone or make a dream board to help you visualize what you want to do. This will keep you focused and away from the emotion called “fear”. #2 Study the risks you need to take and plunge in What’s in it for me if I do this? What will I gain? What will I lose? Which one has a heavier weight- the advantage or disadvantage? Calculate the risks you are going to take by understanding the pros and cons. Write them down and compare. Think about it, exercise judgement call using your experience and advice from a trusted person. Nothing can be sure as there will always be a grey area. Decide, dive in and do not look back. #3 Look for a model of success and copy shamelessly Throughout your life, consciously or unconsciously, you had great models of success. Who inspired you about the work that you like to do? Who do you look up to when it comes to handling interpersonal skills? Who do you admire best on the image of a father; boss or leader? Be intent at looking for people you can copy success from – public figures, parents and other family members, work colleagues or even drama characters. These are the ones who have paved the path of success and you just need to follow. Also learn from their mistakes. #4 Build success in small acts and persevere with strong will Are you overwhelmed by the large amount of task at hand? How do you manage? Do you know the steps behind the big work? Look at the small parts of the big task. Check the details and review how it can be executed. Do them with care, patience and perseverance. When challenges come, persist and go against the grain. Strong will power is not built in big boulders. It is built upon small stones put together in the form of discipline and self-sacrifice. #5 Be visible in the right time and place with confidence When there’s an opportunity for promotion, who will the boss think of? When a customer decides to buy a product, which salesman will he contact? When there’s a great work assignment that has great perks, who will the board think deserves it? Does it go to the most deserving person or the one that comes to mind as the most deserving? These are two different things. But you can be both. Get yourself noticed. Speak up and make contribution in meetings. Have initiatives that are relevant to the team. Go around and let yourself be known to the big guys. Visibility in your environment takes an important role in grooming your career. You have to get noticed in order for you to get support not only from your circle of influence but from those who make the decision who should get the reward. Visibility is a show of confidence. #6 Find balance of work and love by standing for them What does a successful career worth if you lose your time for your loved ones? What does achieving goals mean if you do not have inner peace? What does a lot of money means if you are not really happy? Balance your priorities towards work and family. Work hard but leave quality time with your loved ones. There’s a time for work, a time for family bonding, a time for a romantic date, a time for friends. Know when to say no to work. Know when to stop play and start work. It takes balls to stand firm on commitments both for work and personal time. Do you have what it takes to be great? Everyone is born equal. All it takes is determination. In every step of the way, you need to save a lot of boldness – to start a dream, to keep going in spite of challenges, to stand by your choices, to shine in front of everyone and to balance well your time for the most important things and people in your life. I myself had been there almost drowned in fear. But I made a decision to get up and believe in myself. What I have learned is that being bold makes you bolder. You only get better each time you try. That is why each time someone asks for advice on how to crush fear and be confident in whatever he or she wants to achieve, I always say: Take small bold steps and you will get there! Now I want to ask you: Do you have what it takes to be great? If you are not sure of your answer or do not have the confidence to do so, I challenge you to reach out to my FREE email series program, The Manifesto of Confident People for those who would like to gain more confidence and achieve their personal goals. Have you mustered courage to stand up for a particular dream, cause or belief you have? What price did you have to pay for it? ____ About the Author: Rob Leonardo is the creator of ConfidenceCues, a blog dedicated to building self-confidence following an alternative mantra “be bold, assertive and happy”. Last month, he successfully re-opened doors to his FREE 7-week email series program called Manifesto of Confident People. The program continues but is limited to the first 100 subscribers for each month. Click HERE to grab a free slot.The post 6 Bold Steps to Achieve Your Personal Goals This Year appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.