Set yourself big but achievable goals for 10 years

“How do you see yourself ten years from now?” or “Where do you see your life in ten years?” I am sure at some time or other most people have been asked a variation of these questions. Maybe in a job interview, a relative quizzing you on where your life is going, or a date with someone who is getting to know you.

The situations may all be different but the meaning of the question is always going to be the same…..have you thought about where your life is heading and what it is going to look like in ten years?

For some people, they may have their life planned in minute detail, for others there may be a general direction that it is heading in but nothing is firmly laid out whilst a third group may have a completely laid back “go with the flow” philosophy to life.

Is it really that important to set plans as to where you will be in ten years? After all, no one has a crystal ball and can say with absolute certainty that even their best-laid plans will all come to pass.

Whilst this is true, having a general idea and some goals planned is a good move to make, it can stop you from either drifting off somewhere you don’t want to be or just staying in the same place and stagnating. It also will prevent you from having major regrets later on in life.

There are many things that you may live to regret that can be avoided if you start making some plans and setting goals; things such as;

• Avoiding change because you are scared of what might happen

• Stressing and worrying about stuff that in the end will never matter

• Making excuses to avoid having experiences

• Always imagining the worst-case scenario in the future instead of just living in the now

• Settling for less when deep down you know you deserve more

• Putting other people’s happiness and desires before your own or

• Having toxic people in your life.

To avoid looking back and thinking, “I wish I had done things differently” you need to start making some decisions now as to what you want your life to look like in ten years. This is the key to planning your future and making sure that your goals and desires materialize.

You need to start setting yourself big but achievable goals now. Never believe that any goal is too big, you never truly know what you are capable of achieving until you start trying, therefore if you set your goals too small you will never reach your true potential, reach for the stars when you are setting your goals.

Think About Your True Desires

Everyone has the capacity inside them to achieve their goals because everybody can make decisions and stick to them. When you think about it, everything that has happened to you in your life up to now has happened because of the decisions that you have made.

People often view their lives as if they are somehow beyond their control and they are forced into doing things, such as going to work but when you really think about it, nobody forces you to do these things, you do them because you have decided to do them.

“Decide what you want out of life and then decide to go and get it….it’s your life do what you want in it.”

Therefore, if the decisions that you make are for the things that you really want, then imagine what you could achieve for yourself and where you could go in life when you make the right decisions. What you need to start doing now…today is laying the foundations for the next ten years of your life.

• Do you want to excel in your career?

• Are you looking for your dream job?

• Are you looking for your dream home?

• Are you wanting to get married, or settle down with someone?

• Do you want to start a family?

• Would you love to live aboard?

• Do you have dreams of starting your own business?

• Would you like to travel the world?

• Do you want to retire early?

• Do you want to get super fit and healthy?

Whatever it is you want out of YOUR life, it is up to YOU to make the decisions that are going to bring your goals to pass. Things don’t happen in life generally by accident and although sometimes we can be blessed with serendipity, it usually takes us to bring major change about.

Think about where you were ten years ago…it’s passed quickly, hasn’t it? Did you have plans in 2010 that have come to pass? Time passes quickly, although sometimes if you are living a life that you are not enjoying it may seem slower, still before you know it 2030 will be here so how do you want to be living? Where do you want to be?

Design a Plan for 10 Years From Now

To achieve your dreams and ambitions for the future, you need to start laying the seeds today.

What you are doing at this moment in time is going to create your future….. think about that for a minute, you are going to be the one shaping your destiny and it all starts now with the decisions that you are making.

We all know the phrase “carpe diem” Now is the time to start seizing the day and planning your future. Do you really want to wake up ten years from now and think, “What happened to my life?” Surely you want to be saying “Wow, look at my life.”

Now is the time to be committed to your life, after all, there is only you who has such vested interests in it.

Even if you have a family, partner, or people relying on you, you still have an even bigger commitment to yourself, to have and live the life that you want. As soon as you decide to do something about your life, your life will change.

Even if you can’t immediately see the change it’s there because you have planted the seed in your mind and once it is there with the correct attention and nurturing it will grow and flourish until your goal is fulfilled.

Therefore ask yourself now, “Where do I want to be in ten years?” Does this question make you excited about your future? Hopefully, the answer is yes.

If you feel daunted and lacking in confidence, that’s fine and to be expected, you are about to embark on a journey that you and your brain haven’t been on before, so it’s going to throw up a little resistance. Just remember you are the one in control, you make all the decisions, and you can bring about the change you want.

Be Precise Not Vague in Your Thinking

Learning who we are and what we are capable of is a great way of achieving our goals but sometimes we can talk ourselves out of goals as we lack confidence in our abilities.

We are all capable of so much more than we ever give ourselves credit for, so learning to think positively and confidently is a must when goal setting. We don’t need to be talking ourselves down when trying something new or trying to go outside of our comfort zone. Here are some ways of getting in the right mindset for achieving your goals;

• Tune out the negative chatter in your head and replace it with positive chatter instead.

• Don’t say “I can’t”, say “ I will.”

• Write down all the amazing things that you have already achieved in your life.

• Read up about people who have achieved the same things that you want and how they got them… you may be surprised by the answers.

• Give yourself time and don’t judge yourself too harshly

• Start saying positive mantras every day about yourself

• Be prepared to make mistakes or for things to go wrong…..remember Edison and his light bulb.

Planning your life for the next ten years should give you a lot of joy and satisfaction. After all, you can decide to plan for anything you want. Design a vision board and start pinning on all the amazing things that you would like out of YOUR life and then keep looking at it and telling yourself it’s going to happen and then start making it happen.

At the end of the day, you are the one who is in control of your life and it is up to you to make sure that when 2030 rolls around you are living the life that you want and you made the decisions that were right for you.

Use Your Imagination to Envisage Your Life 10 Years From Now

Using your imagination could be your biggest asset when designing your future life. The thoughts that you create in your head can quickly become tangible substances if you correctly apply yourself.

Have you ever had negative things happen and then think to yourself “Why does this always happen to me?” The answer is because of your thinking.

Most of us are never aware of the negative subconscious thoughts that swirl around in our minds, bringing these negative experiences into being.

Start changing your internal dialogue and start planning positive thoughts for the future life that you want to be living. Use your mind in a positive, proactive way to bring about all of the dreams and desires that you have for your future self.

Start with your vision board and then add positive affirmations into your daily routine, morning and evening of how your life is, always speak in the present tense as if you already have that which you want.

Believe in the words as you speak them, make your brain believe that they are your reality. Your brain doesn't differentiate between fact and fiction, it just starts getting to work on what you tell it. Feed positive future self stories and they will become your future.

The best thing about using your imagination to create your future life is that you can put anything in there. You have no restrictions and no limits. Imagine great things happening, fill the space with all of your desires. The stronger the feelings you have the faster the results will occur, so make sure that you visualise ambitions and desires that truly excite you, you want and that are true desires.

Final Thoughts

How do you see yourself ten years from now? From today, start planning your goals, decide what you want, dream big, write them down, get organised and start to plan and visualise them.

Today is the day to start planning the next ten years, what are you waiting for, unless you already have the life that you want? Why waste any more time living a life that is not the one that you want? Get proactive take charge and start making the necessary moves to create the life you want to be living in ten years.

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