The Signs That You Are Close to Reaching Your Goals

Our goals can only be reached through the vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.       Stephen A. Brennen

Have you been feeling frustrated lately?  Maybe you are still looking for a job or are in job transition search-mode.  Or perhaps you have other desires you want in your life but you aren’t sure how to go about getting them.  If you are feeling frustrated, slightly angry, or a even a little anxious, it may be signs that you are close to reaching the desires and goals you want.  The symptoms that arise when we’re frustrated or anxious can include tenseness, butterflies in the stomach, sleeplessness, and anger.  While these are uncomfortable feelings,they are a sign that your brain and body wants you to act on the desires you want.

What is holding you back is your lack of confidence or other fears, such as rejection of your ideas or failing, that have been negatively holding you back from achieving what you want.  Those uncomfortable feelings can actually be motivators to spur you on so you can get rid of them.  If you are clear about your goals and set definite deadlines to achieve them then you will be more clear and focused on what you need to do to reach them.  You can use your “signs” to help you take control and move forward.  Here are some tips to help you:

1. Be aware of your body – “listen” to what it is telling you; I say it’s like ‘taking the pulse’ on your thoughts and feelings to see exactly where they are coming from, especially those negative or fearful thoughts.  Sit in silence and listen so you are clear; only then can you rebutt or act on them

2. Set or re-set your goals – make them crystal clear, as if you have already achieved them, and make them action-oriented, such as “I am finding my ideal job”; this helps your brain to keep positive and motivated and continue on

3. Define your action steps and prepare – work backwards, as if you already have that job (or goal) and list the steps you took to get it; this is a reverse-brainstorm and might give you steps you hadn’t thought about.  Preparation is a key; before you take action take the time to set-up a system, such as defining and writing your job search strategies, deadlines, and keeping a record of all your activities so you can celebrate your successes or to see what may not be effective so you can amend it.  I see too many people jump in and then feel so frustrated that they give up.

4. Journal – keep a career journal so you can document your job search and the resulting feelings and emotions; this can help you capture your successes and work through any frustrated or negative emotions so you can release and challenge them; journaling is also a great way to capture any thoughts or ideas you have; document any referrals or people you meet through networking; or just to capture any successes you have (which can be overlooked)

5. Get support – develop a support tree or system, which are people you can call when you are feeling frustrated and can give you support, or seek out the services of a career coach who has the expertise to quick-start your job search and give you the accountability you need to reach your goals

As I stated earlier, frustrated feelings can be uncomfortable to live with but if you take them as a sign that you are closer to reaching your goals, you will see those goals become a reality sooner than you thought.  Embrace your frustrations, not as negatives, but as a tool to help you reach your goals.