Dreaming big is a difficult enough task even without the looming threat of a pandemic. Now, thinking about the future seems almost impossible when days are full of concerns about disease and social distancing. But it is still just as important, perhaps more important now than ever, to keep dreaming big. This pandemic will end.
If setting lofty long-term goals is not an option, there are plenty of ways to prepare for a bright, post-pandemic future in a non-intimidating way. Use these tips to set goals, big or small, that you can work towards now and long after COVID.
1. Set small goals.
It’s easy to get bogged down in life’s little responsibilities, and it can be difficult to prioritize your goals. Your small goals can take any form you like, such as a list of friends to catch up with, movies or TV shows to catch up on, or even a to-do list of chores to finish. Keeping a bigger goal in the back of your mind while performing small tasks will help remind you that the end is in sight.
2. Compartmentalize.
In the same vein as small goals, dividing your big dreams into small, manageable steps that can be tackled quickly and individually will make the process of achieving your dream so much less intimidating. There’s no limit to the number of steps you can divide your goal into. Even if you do one small thing a day, always remind yourself that you’re still working towards a goal.
3. Reward yourself!
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Your dreams won’t come true in one either. Taking breaks and appreciating the progress you have made is an essential step on the road to achieving your goals. Otherwise, it will feel like you’ve made no headway at all. Even if it’s stopping every so often and taking stock of all the work you’ve done, it’ll make you feel better about the work you still have left.
4. Don’t get discouraged.
Pardon the cliché, but failure is a necessary part of life. Learning from failure, particularly the most devastating failures, is often a key difference between more and less successful people. Learning from failure takes patience, an incredible amount of self-confidence, and understanding. But often, failure can point the way to a more meaningful, if less obvious, path.
5. Be open to change.
It doesn’t always take a failure to realize that your goals have shifted focus. If you realize that your dreams have changed, embrace it. It won’t feel right to fulfill a goal that you no longer have interest in. Don’t think of it as starting over. All the work you’ve done up to this point has led you to this realization.
6. Be patient.
These things take time. Your dreams won’t come true in one day, a week, or even a month. Remind yourself of this often and remind yourself that even if you’re starting late or starting over, you’re right on time.
Reflect & Refresh 