Did you ever wonder why so many people never achieve the goals they set out to do?  They plan to lose weight, change careers, find a life partner, etc. All very respectable and achievable goals, but none that necessarily come from the snap of a finger.  

I had a client come to me recently with the goal to lose 60 pounds.  She had decided that the combination of coaching and personal training would help her achieve this goal, so she set forth on her weight loss journey. About 5 weeks into the program, I noticed her motivation was waning, and she started making excuses for not keeping her appointments.

Since coaching sometimes translates into ass-kicker (as I’ve said before, in the most loving way) I asked her why the change, and why the frequent cancellations. She finally admitted to me that the weight wasn’t coming off fast enough. “I thought by now I’d be at least 15 pounds down,” she said to me, “I never expected it to be this hard.” 

I explained to her, as I do to all my coaching and training clients, that the bigger the goal, the more time, hard work and dedication that goal will take to achieve. Quite often, people get into the cycle of start-stop because the work in-between is the hardest to stick with. That’s the time when some tricks of the trade may come into play, a few things that will change your mindset, making the process of reaching big goals a little easier to commit to.

Here’s a few to try the next time you have one of those larger-than-life goals to reach, or any goal for that matter:

1. Make a plan: Break down your goal into smaller, manageable steps, and write down each step along with deadlines and dates.

2. Set reminders: Schedule reminders for yourself so you don't forget to take action.

3. Celebrate milestones: Celebrate each milestone you reach, no matter how small, to keep motivation levels high.

4. Get support: Aim to build a network of people who can support you and help you stay on track.

5. Stay focused: Don't let yourself get distracted by other tasks or goals. Stay focused on the goal you want to achieve.

Make a plan:

The title of this blog, Small Hinges Swing Big Doors is really just another way to say breaking down big goals into smaller goals is an important step to achieving success. Doing so helps to make the process of reaching a goal more manageable and less overwhelming. It also allows you to track your progress and stay motivated, as you can see the smaller successes that lead up to the final goal. Additionally, it can help you to break down the task into more specific and actionable steps, allowing you to set realistic expectations for yourself. Breaking big goals into smaller goals can help you stay focused and on track, ensuring that you reach your destination.

Set reminders: 

Setting reminders is an important tool in achieving goals because it helps to keep you on track and on schedule, prevents you from forgetting things, and helps to ensure you're staying productive and motivated throughout the process. It's easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged when trying to reach a goal, and reminders can help to break tasks down into manageable chunks and keep you on task. Additionally, reminders can help to encourage you to stay focused on the end goal and provide the motivation necessary to push through any obstacles that may arise.

Celebrating milestones: 

Celebrating milestones is an important way to mark meaningful moments in our lives and recognize our accomplishments. It can be a great way to recognize our progress, give ourselves a pat on the back and enjoy the moment. Celebrating milestones helps us to reflect on how far we have come, motivate ourselves to keep going, and stay connected with the people who have supported us along the way. Such moments can be shared with family, friends, or just ourselves, and can provide us with a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and joy.

Get support:

Getting support is essential in achieving any goal, as it can help to boost our motivation and confidence, provide encouragement, and help us stay on track. Having a support system of friends, family, or even a life coach can be incredibly beneficial in helping us achieve our goals. They can provide valuable advice, challenge us to think outside the box, and remind us of the progress we have made. Additionally, since people in our support system have our best interests in mind, they can provide an outside perspective and help us stay focused on our goals. Ultimately, a strong support system can prove to be invaluable in helping us reach our goals.

Stay focused:

Distractions can be a major disruption to our goals. They take our focus away from what we are trying to achieve and can lead to us feeling overwhelmed and unable to progress. It's important to recognize when you are feeling distracted, and to take steps to minimize or eliminate the distraction. This could include setting boundaries with yourself or others, setting aside specific times for work or leisure, or changing your environment. Taking the time to identify and address distractions can make a huge difference in achieving your goals.

Goals are never out of our reach; it just takes commitment, hard work, and enough patience with ourselves to stay the course.  Give yourself grace to know that you’re trying hard, and at those times that you aren’t you may need some outside tools and tips to keep that big door swinging.