When it comes to trying something different, big or out of the ordinary, the feeling you get before you make the final commitment can often be an equal mix of excitement and trepidation.  And then you take plunge.  For those first few days and weeks, there’s absolutely nothing stopping you and then….Gradually, your resolve starts to wane, your once shining beacon of enthusiasm no longer beams quite as brightly and the exercise regimen, the new diet, the fresh attitude, or exciting project, no longer feels quite so invigorating and can wait, until tomorrow, or the next day, or…..

So, if you have a goal or an idea that is going to stretch you, pull you and push you out of your comfort zone, the following 5 tips will help you stay on track.

 1.  Write down your goal and the reasons why you need to achieve it,  Read this reminder every day.

Reminding yourself why what you’re doing is worth all of the effort, will help you when you have those inevitable days when you really can’t be bothered…It doesn’t matter how determined and focused you are – you will have those days and that’s OK, it’s normal and you’re human.

 2.  Chunk it down

When you’re going all out for something big, or at least doing something bigger than you have done before, when you stand back and look at the bigger picture, it can at times, feel overwhelming.   By breaking the task down into smaller bite size chunks, it becomes easier to see, step by step, how much closer you are to achieving your goal.

3.  Celebrate your success’

 Every time you get one step closer to achieving your goal, celebrate the milestone.  Ideally, share your success with someone who knows how invested in you are in realizing your vision.  But if that’s not your style, just give yourself on the back,a cream cake, a cup of tea, new pair of  Jimmy Choos – celebrate!

 4.  If you fall off the wagon, don’t give up, dust yourself down and start where you left off 

If you have one of those days where you just can’t face tackling the to-do list, do not throw the baby out with the bath water.  Give yourself a break, we all have those days.  It’s useful to identify whether you are procrastinating because of a specific reason, or whether you just need a day off.  If it’s the latter just take the day; if it’s the former, work out what you need to do, to remove the obstacle that’s holding you back and chunk down the steps needed to remove the stumbling block from your vision.

 5.  Imagine what it will feel like once you have achieved your goal, sit with that feeling and make time to          think about it every day

Author’s like the late, great Stephen Covey and motivators like Tony Robbins, have been talking about the power of visualization for years.  When we utilize our ability to see our future success, as a present reality and combine that with being able to imagine how that success feels, you inevitably start to draw in the people and resources that you need, to help you fulfill your dream.  As little as 5 minutes in the morning and again in the evening again can really contribute to you making it happen!

As always I’d love to hear how you’re getting on, please post your comments below.  Good luck!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0098009/photos/42931449@N07/