Entrepreneurs are always running around and balancing many different hats. They’re writers, organizers, assistants, accountants, and even the IT person. With a plethora of roles to play and being pulled in many different directions, keeping the vision clear on the goal can be difficult. Here are five ways to help you stay focused on the light at the end of the tunnel.
1. Identify your priorities and balance your time
Do you know what is most important to you? Is it spending time lollygagging on social media or staring off into space thinking about your next meal? You must understand what your priorities are and be able to structure your life around accomplishing what is needed to continue to progress. An unplanned day will lead to being trapped in distraction, but strategizing your day will lead you to a productive work environment. Committing to a schedule and setting specific deadlines will help you make progress on your big goals, one step at a time.
2. Imagine the goal completed
Close your eyes and imagine what happens if you reach your end goal. How does that feel? Are you on the right path to meet that goal, or does your way have a lot of unnecessary stops? Do those stops include self-sabotaging behaviors that could kill your hope and dreams? Work on overcoming self-sabotage by identifying the negative triggers that cause you to fall back into that loop. Having tunnel vision isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if you want to achieve your goals on time. Understand your why and motivate yourself to keep striving for better.
3. Face your difficult tasks first
The more complicated a task is, the easier it is to want to avoid responsibility. Completing the hard tasks first leaves space for a smoother rest of your day. We’ve got limited mental resources and focus, so make sure you’re accessing and distributing those resources accordingly based on priorities. Simple tasks can wait for when you’re not in a zone where the deep focus is needed.
4. Be honest with yourself
Entrepreneurs tend to take on too much at once. You can do anything but not everything! Keeping yourself accountable to your goals requires self-discipline. Do you acknowledge where your strengths are and where you fall short? Take time to make an honest assessment of yourself. Consider spending time growing the areas where you’re shaky at but be compassionate when you’re working on your flaws. Don’t put unrealistic expectations on yourself and don’t compare yourself to others.
5. Celebrate your wins!
Spending time to celebrate every time you accomplish something – regardless of how big or small – makes yourself believe that the goal is possible. Every time you have a win, and taking the time to celebrate that win will help you build your confidence and believe that your dream can come true. Celebrating doesn’t necessarily mean throwing a party or being frivolous but could mean patting yourself on the back.
Focusing on your vision means identifying your priorities, balancing your time, imagining the light at the end of the tunnel, facing your most difficult tasks first, being honest with yourself, and finally celebrating all your hard work. Good luck and don’t forget to practice self-compassion!