3 Positive Emotions That Will Help You Reach Your Goals

Why is it important to have goals? 

Having goals in life provides each person with a compass and map that helps them to navigate life to reach their desired objectives. Without setting goals we have no clear direction or end point and are relying on chance to provide what we want, rather than acting with purpose to reach our goals. Taking decisive steps, i.e., following an action plan toward reaching our goals entails making a conscious decision to invest consistent time and effort to achieving something important that genuinely matters.  

 

It is not a goal until you write it down 

Writing one’s goals down makes them tangible and trackable – it turns abstract ideas into concrete intentions. Keeping a written list of goals front and center as a constant reminder of what you are working toward will help to keep you on track – ensuring you do not lose sight of your objectives when life gets busy or throws you a curved ball.  

 

How can we set meaningful goals? 

Setting goals should be a conscious decision to focus on what matters. Meaningful goals are set based on first knowing what is important to you and what will benefit you. The right goals will leverage your strengths and involve activities that grow and strengthen you rather than depleting you mentally or physically. For example, if you detest running and have little free time, setting an objective to run a marathon in three months’ time is probably not the right goal for you.  

 

How does harnessing positive emotions assist in pursuing your goals? 

People who think positively are more likely to believe in themselves and their abilities. This paves the way for increased confidence and self-esteem, which can support them in achieving their goals – even in the face of discouragement. Likewise, positive emotions, which play a part in our positive thinking, can influence our energy, focus, and perseverance in achieving our goals. Positive emotions can spur us onward, despite setbacks. Negative emotions can hold us back when the going gets tough. To use our emotions as motivation, we need to consciously harness our positive emotions, such as joy and gratitude, that inspire us and manage the negative emotions, such as fear or sadness, that hinder us.  

 

Here are 3 positive, growth-orientated emotions that support us in reaching our goals:  

1. Curiosity 

According to Wikipedia,1 curiosity as an emotion and behaviour is the driving force behind human development, such as the progress in science, language and industry. Acting on our curiosity in terms of reaching our goals is being open and willing to explore and try new things that will help us get closer to our desired outcome. The more we learn through being curious, the more likely we are to recognise that there may be new and better ways to reach our goals. Curious people generally learn to take risks and are not afraid to try new things, even if they seem daunting; they learn from their mistakes and use them as steppingstones to reaching their goal.   

 How to stay curious:  

• Never stop asking questions  

• See learning new things as fun 

• Nurture a wide range of interests 

• Spend time with other curious people 

• Seek new perspectives – look at something from all sides 

• Look inward to understand yourself better  

 

2. Feeling inspired  

People may believe that inspiration is limited to being a sudden spark of genius that only visits truly gifted people, like Einstein or Mozart. However, inspiration is more practical than that. Business coaches refer to having a moment of inspiration as sometimes being a BFO – a blinding flash of the obvious. Yes, feeling inspired is a tremendously positive and constructive emotion, but it may not be particularly intense or bring about great joy. Inspiration can happen to anyone as a result of witnessing or learning something that sparks their interest. For some people, inspiration is simply a matter of being able to take the time to sit down in their home office and focus on their work, uninterrupted by the kids.  

For business owners, inspiration has profound benefits in the workplace where it can lead to innovation, increased focus, and greater motivation in employees. It can help to build and encourage teams. And it has been proven to increase employee engagement.  

How to stay inspired: 

• Find your North Star – your primary passion, purpose, and life direction. 

• Read widely to grow and learn new things. 

• Spend time with other people who are inspired – and share your inspiration with them.  

• Seek inspiration from a wide range of sources, such as art, music, nature, or other cultures. 

• Start something, finish something and take a project a step forward every day. And acknowledge your progress daily.  

 

3. Feeling satisfied 

While success can be measured in objective terms, the feeling of satisfaction that comes from achieving a particular goal can only occur when the accomplishment is of personal importance. To feel satisfaction, it is essential to set goals that are truly meaningful to you. Otherwise, the accomplishment is likely to be a disappointment. Some psychologists say satisfaction is more important than happiness as happiness can be fleeting while satisfaction is considered a longer-term emotion. Thus, satisfaction is associated with better physical health, higher performance, and stronger relationships, all of which support us in being able to reach our goals.  

How to nurture satisfaction: 

• Set and commit to reaching meaningful goals 

• Focus on what is going well  

• Learn from your mistakes 

• See setbacks as temporary 

• Discover what brings you hope 

• Practice gratitude 

 

Your positive mindset, and harnessing the positive emotions that support it, play a crucial role in not letting your goals fall by the wayside. When the going gets tough, or you encounter a setback in the journey to reaching your goals, positivity will help you overcome challenges and stay motivated. Positive emotions will support you in believing in yourself and your abilities. They will uphold your self-confidence and the belief that you have the potential to succeed so that you can achieve what matters to you.  

Over to you for sharing your comments and experiences.