How to trust yourself to follow through
Here is the plain text article and user comments: Okay, so I used to be the queen of good intentions and zero follow-through. I'd set these amazing goals, picture myself achieving them, feel all motivated for like, a day, and then...poof. Back to square one. Netflix, comfort food, the whole shebang. I really wanted to change, though.
I hated feeling like I couldn't trust myself to do what I said I would. It's a terrible feeling, right? My first step was brutally honest self-assessment. I sat down and listed every single promise I'd broken to myself in the last month. It was painful, but necessary. Then, I tried to understand why I hadn't followed through.
Was the goal too big? Was I lacking the skills? Was I just plain procrastinating? Turns out, it was a mix of everything. So, I started small. Instead of "lose 20 pounds," I set a goal to "walk for 30 minutes three times a week." That felt manageable. And when I actually did it the first week, the feeling of accomplishment was amazing.
That little win built momentum. The key, I realized, was breaking down big goals into tiny, actionable steps. Write a book? Nope. Write 250 words a day. Clean the house? Nope. Clean one room today. Suddenly, things didn't feel so overwhelming. I also started using visual reminders. A sticky note on my mirror with my daily goal, a chart on my fridge to track my progress.
Seeing my progress, even in small increments, was incredibly motivating. Accountability also played a huge role. I told a friend about my goals and asked her to check in on me. Knowing someone else was expecting me to follow through gave me that extra push. I also learned to forgive myself. I wasn't perfect. There were days when I slipped up. But instead of beating myself up about it, I acknowledged the slip-up, learned from it, and got back on track the next day.
No guilt, just growth. Celebrating small victories was crucial. Did I stick to my walking schedule for a week? I'd treat myself to a relaxing bath or a new book. Rewarding myself for my efforts reinforced the positive behavior. Tracking my time also helped. I used a simple timer to see where my time was actually going.
It was eye-opening to realize how much time I was wasting on social media. I then reallocated that time to my goals. Essentially, I was retraining my brain to associate follow-through with positive feelings. I was building a track record of keeping promises to myself. And slowly but surely, I started to trust myself again. It's still a work in progress, but I'm miles ahead of where I used to be.
The key is to be patient, kind to yourself, and celebrate every single step of progress, no matter how small. You can do this. Remember to start small, be realistic, track your progress, find an accountability partner, and forgive yourself when you stumble. Trust is built over time, one small promise kept at a time. Now, go out there and achieve those goals!
It's totally worth it. The ability to trust yourself is priceless.
You are worth it. Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make. Don't give up on yourself!
It takes time, so be patient.
[HappyRunner]: Great article! I've struggled with this too, thanks for the practical tips.
[ProcrastinationKiller]: Breaking down goals into smaller steps is a game changer!
Thanks for reminding me.
[SelfTrustGuru]: I agree, accountability partners are so important. I'm going to find one this week!
[DoubtfulDebby]: I've tried this before but I always give up. Maybe I just need to start even smaller.
[MotivationMike]: This article is exactly what I needed to hear today. Thank you!
[BusyBee]: Time tracking is brilliant!
I never thought of that. Now I know where all my time disappears!
[GoalGetter]: Celebrating small wins is so motivating! I'm going to start doing that.
[RealisticRita]: Forgiving myself for slip-ups is something I always forget. Thanks for the reminder!
[StepByStepSue]: I love the step-by-step approach! I feel like I can actually do this now.
[LazyLarry]: Maybe I can finally get off the couch!
Thanks for the inspiration.