Often it is those things we most desire in our lives that we find hardest to bring into our lives. In my work counselling clients (
www.shelleyhutchinson.ie) I have found that Psychosynthesis therapeutic techniques are very effective in enabling clients to make and achieve their life goals. These techniques are simple, and through following the step by step approach in this article, you too can learn how to apply them to your own life, so you can make and achieve your life goals. nYou will be guided through four key stages:-ni)Identifying and choosing your life goalnii)Motivation and self-belief niii)How to overcome obstacles and psychological blocksniv)Planning and making it happennThe exercises described in each stage are designed for you to work through individually. You will need a pen, notepad, blank paper, crayons, and imagination to complete these exercises. nnIdentifying and choosing your goalsnThe first place to start is to identify your life goals, so take a moment now to brainstorm your goals for your life, and jot them down on paper. Now you are ready to choose the life goal that you want to work with so look through your list of goals and consider the following:-nIf this goal is something you want to achieve for you? or is it about proving something to someone else?nIs your goal big enough to be inspiring? Don't let the negative voices put you offnnIs your goal achievable? Be loving to yourself, dont create unobtainable goals that you can use to feel negative about yourself. Instead break down your goal into smaller achieveable goals, which feel more manageable.nIdentify the underlying issue you are trying to resolve, so you can make goals that are appropriate.nYou will probably find that one particular life goal stands out to you as the one you want to pursue, trust your intuition on this, and choose this goal to work with.nnMotivation and self-beliefnIn this stage we will look at becoming motivated. This is a crucial step along your journey to achieving your goal. Here are some suggestions that will assist you in focusing your attention on positive thoughts and feeling inspired by your goal, rather than being weighed down by negative thoughts:nTalk about your goal with friends or family, find a mentor or role model, or support group, talking about your goal with others will clarify and concretise your goal in your own mind, nWrite a list of the benefits to your life of achieving this goal, this will also help you identify your motivation for achieving your goal,nMake your goal into a positive statement, eg “I dont want to be fat anymore” is transformed into “I want to be healthy and active”. Say this positive statement outloud or silently to yourself on a daily basis. nnMore than likely part of the reason you have not achieved your goal already is that there is a part of you that does not believe you can achieve it. These visualisation techniques described below will help you generate the self-belief you need to make your goal reality.nVisualise yourself achieving your goal: Take a quiet moment when you are on your own and imagine yourself achieving your goal. Imagine how you are dressed, where you are, who you are with, imagine yourself having conversations with people, imagine every detail so it becomes real and vivid. Afterwards write your experiences down in a journal.nDraw an image to symbolise your goal: Spend some time with your inner child and draw (or cut images from magazines) to make a picture that symbolises your goal, have fun and be creative with this exercise. Then place the finished image in a place where you will see it frequently, for instance on your wardrobe or fridge door. nBy visualising yourself succeeding in achieving your goal, and drawing an image to represent your goal, you are working with your unconscious mind to make your goal reality!nnOvercoming obstacles and psychological blocksnHaving done the visualisation techniques you notice that you now believe you can achieve your goal. Well done, your positive thinking is influencing your reality. Now you are ready to look at obstacles and blocks that could challenge you as you work towards your life goal. Identifying them at this stage will enable you to recognise them, and see them as learning opportunities, should they arise.nnThe most common block to achieving our goals in life is often negative thinking. Notice if you recognise any of the negative thoughts listed below:-n“I cannot do this because it will cost too much”n“I dont have enough time”n“I dont have sufficient willpower”n“I am not clever enough”nA way of overcoming negative thoughts is to notice the particular negative thought that arises when you think of your life goal, and practice not following this negative thought by getting attached to it or stuck in it. Consciously choosing not to give this negative thought attention will eventually lead to it disappearing. This technique requires alot of practice, patience and self discipline to implement. You may find counselling and meditation supportive in overcoming negative thoughts.nSome people find it okay getting started, but as they progress towards their goal, they find they lose motivation, and so stop short of acheiving their goal. If this happens to you, then go back to your notepad and remind yourself of the benefits to your life of achieving this goal. Give yourself praise for all your small successes so far by writing a list of all the positive things you have done to achieve your goal. Remember to be compassionate to yourself if you do lose motivation, or experience set backs, it doesnt have to be the end of acheiving your goal, use it as a learning experience, and try again.nnEvents outside your control could create obstacles to achieving your goal, if so, perhaps the way in which you wanted to acheive your goal needs to be adapted. Be flexible and don't get stuck on acheiving your goal through one means, be creative and brainstorm other ways you can acheive your goal. Be prepared to try different approaches, and find a way that works for you.nnPlanning and making it happennPlanning is essential to achieving your goal. Start by creating a battleplan for your goal. Write a list of all the things you can do, which will help you acheive your goal. This is also a way of breaking down your goal into smaller achievable steps that you can implement on a weekly or monthly basis. Remember to be loving and firm with yourself as you create your list.nnNow you need to make a commitment to yourself defining what step(s) you are going to take over the next week, to acheive your goal. Begin by defining the following:-nWhat step are you going to take this week?nWhen.....?nWhere.....?nWith Whom....?nNow write this into your diary to seal your commitment. You will need to keep repeating this process each week until your achieve your goal. Record your successes each week in your notepad, and reflect on these successes at times when you find yourself losing motivation.nnAs you progress towards your goal you might find that your goals change, this is a natural part of the process. By being flexible and redefining your goal when your needs change, you will find that you will be better able to make your life goals stick. Remember bringing your hearts desires into your life is not a static process, it is ever changing and ongoing! nn