The Key to Achieving your Goals in 2018
Imagine an iceberg. Tall. Massive. Beautiful. The thing that is striking about an iceberg is not the part that's visible but that it's way more deep than what our eyes can see.
Human Beings are like Icebergs. What we think we know about ourselves is just the surface but what lies within each one of us goes much deeper.
Think of the visible part of the iceberg as our behaviors and habits. We want to continuously improve our behaviors and habits so that we can reach our goals faster. We want to wake up earlier. We want to get more done in less time. We want to work on our fitness. We get excited thinking about all of our goals especially at the beginning of the year when we set our new year resolutions. We want it all!
But not many of us get there. I for one, have religiously failed with respect to my fitness goals. I know many friends who set goals around waking up early but gave up after many failed attempts. Trusting in willpower or more effort did not yield results. By focusing solely on our behaviors and habits, we set ourselves up for failure. Year after year. This can have catastrophic effects on our dreams and goals. Slowly but surely, many of us decide that this is not meant for us and start focusing on smaller goals. We end up deeply disappointed with ourselves.
But what is possible if we explore the invisible part of the iceberg, namely our beliefs and limiting patterns? Many of us go about life wanting to plant seeds that will grow into trees but never take care of the weeds that ensures the exact opposite. There are two scenarios that often play out with respect to our limiting patterns and beliefs.
One - the weeds run deep and our subconscious belief about these patterns is so real that we kill off our big goals even as we begin thinking about them. At high school, I experienced freezing on stage when giving a speech and the effect was so traumatic that I vowed to never get onto stage again. Did I even set goals around speaking after that? No!
Two - the weeds are strong and we are aware of them. But we want to circumvent them and prove to ourselves that we are more than our limiting beliefs. For years, I believed that while I was passionate about sports, I was physically weak. Over time, I really wanted to prove to myself that I can achieve physical goals and set many goals that involved gymming. Did I ever get around to achieving these goals while holding strongly to the belief that I was weak? No!
Without exploring the underlying limiting patterns and beliefs, no amount of willpower or effort will get us across the line. It will only get us attached to the fixed mindset that can cripple our ability to become and achieve more. By courageously going to the depths of our iceberg, we give ourselves the opportunity to embrace the growth mindset and alter our beliefs before we go about setting them.
So, how do we go about exploring and changing our limiting patterns and beliefs? Coaching proved to be the magic sauce for me. Today, thanks to getting coached around exploring my limiting patterns and changing my beliefs, I have re-connected with some of my dreams and set some new goals. I have realized that I love Public Speaking and am focused on becoming a paid public speaker! I have become regular in my gym workouts and go there feeling happy about myself!
As we go about setting our goals in 2018, I encourage each and every one of you to explore your iceberg thoroughly. You may discover something new about yourself and decide to go after a long forgotten dream! I wish you a growth filled journey as you step into 2018!