So this is for all of you hopeful overachievers out there. From one to another, here is some advice for the goal oriented overachiever.
CELEBRATE your Accomplishments!! Goodness, I reach my goals and never celebrate the fact that I did. Celebrate! Relish in your success and allow yourself to enjoy the moment instead of jumping into the next goal. Have a cupcake, or a glass of wine (21+ please), or go for a walk to reflect!
Make a Vision Board… …or write them down, especially the big ones, and just remind yourself of them. Don’t let it be a scary or fancy, but do it.
Make them realistic.
Often I feel as if I am overwhelmed by the goals I set for myself. Then I get discouraged when I don’t reach them. If I want to learn spanish, I need to give myself the years and dedication to do it, I won’t wake up in the morning and know Spanish. Making them realistic is the first step to crossing them off your list
Be Driven, but not obsessive. Hopefully this is self explanatory. Take a reasonable amount of time to finish something with dedication, not with obession. Setting a goal does not mean that it needs to be done tomorrow.
Set different types of goals. One of my goals this year is to read for fun. traditionally they are all academic or career driven (we are overachievers, this should surprise no one). But, sometimes goals should be fun, and for personal growth. Also try long and short term, and even super short term (I love crossing “Eat Breakfast” off my list)
Be okay with messing up. I fail at reaching goals, I beat myself up about it forever and then I am discouraged for a long while afterwards. Sometimes failing at a goal is a sure tell sign that it was not meant to be, or more reasonably it was difficult. Take the failure as an opportunity to try something new, or maybe try it in a different way.
Sometimes it is okay not to have a goal. for the first time in a long time I am out of short term goals, maybe it is graduation, maybe it is my non desire to find a career at the age 21. Either way, I am slowly growing okay with not having a goal. Let it be okay. Have fun in those moments, and make a list of goals for the far future (Thirty things to do before I am 30 is my current favorite).