If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we need to be flexible and willing to reinvent ourselves in response to new realities. The COVID-19 pandemic in essence hit a big pause button on the world. All of a sudden, our world slowed down and forced us from living our normal, busy lives. We have been given the gift of time to look inward and really access our personal goals.
You may have started 2020 with a New Year’s Resolution, but now you’re being given the time to go far beyond a resolution you probably wouldn’t have kept in the first place. Now, you might find yourself focused on crafting personal goals.
I’ve never been a fan of resolutions and have always focused on having concrete goals.
For me personally, athletics and wellness are what I’m drawn to and excelling in that arena is one component of my personal goals. One of my major goals is to become an international track and field athlete, with a mission to compete in the 2021 Olympics carrying my country’s flag (Saudi Arabia) in the opening ceremony. Being the first woman to carry my country’s flag is a big goal, but it’s important that your goals test realistic limits. If you don’t explore your real potential, you won’t grow. I believe everyone has greatness in them. If you have passion, dedication, discipline, a work ethic, and most importantly confidence, you can achieve greatness.
Be Your Biggest Motivator
People often ask me, “What motivates you and keeps you going all year around despite obstacles that come your way?” My answer is always, the only thing motivates me is me. Motivation can’t be bought or given to you by an external source. Motivation is the key to your success and it can only come from within. I have faced things that made me feel either less or more motivated on a daily basis, but that overall drive to accomplish my goals never leaves me. To accomplish any goal, you have to be all in. You have to have your whole heart in what you believe and remind yourself that you are here to accomplish great things. You must be ready to go all in. Once you have this unwavering passion and belief, no one can take it from you and no one will be able to stop you from accomplishing your goal.
Have Professional Accountability Partners
When you have an accountability partner, you’re no longer on your own in your journey. Having someone to cheer you on has the ability to drastically increase the likelihood that you’ll stick to your plan of attack that helps you reach your goal. It’s also equally important to have a trainer or coach.
You can have all the inherent talent in the world, but without coaching, you still won’t achieve your top potential. A talented coach is the absolute best thing an athlete or executive can receive to continue to accelerate their game to the next level. A key to my success is that I’ve been fortunate enough to get the best coaching anyone could imagine. While it’s not clear to me exactly how my journey keeps positively unfolding, I know that my coaches are a huge part of it. They literally bring out my best. I always thought only your parents want the best for you, but after becoming a professional athlete, I realized so do my coaches.
Surround Yourself with Good Social Circle
Whoever we are and whatever we do in life, we will always find people who we call friends that dance to the same tune.
Be Emotionally Invested
How do we emotionally invest? Start to look at your goals as a game. It’s a game full of challenges, growth and fun. Once you have that love for your game, every step towards your goal will bring you absolute joy. Joy not only for yourself, but joy for your coaches and those who support you and believe in you.
Trust Yourself
If you want to see your vision come to life, you have to trust the process. Then, you have faith that “the puzzle” of what you’re meant to achieve in this life, will eventually come together.