Only with a strong sense of purpose can you have endurance
Deputy Director of the Mental Health Education and Counseling Center of Guangdong Technical Normal University, Ren Zenghui
When talking about the secret of their success, many outstanding people will say "having goals and ideals." Over the past 30 years, a large number of surveys and real-life examples have shown that a person with a strong sense of purpose and the ability to set goals reasonably is a powerful driving force for success. In psychology, "goal" refers to the purpose and goal of a behavior, usually reaching a certain level within a specific time limit, which can lead us to keep moving forward.
Generally speaking, if two people If their conditions, abilities, and knowledge levels are equivalent, then the reason for the difference in their performance must be intrinsic motivation. And setting and adjusting goals can greatly stimulate motivation. First of all, goals can increase the level of effort. If a goal is valuable and challenging, the stronger our willingness to work hard for it will be, and the more endurance we will have to persevere. Secondly, the process of setting goals and pursuing them will bring about positive emotions, which will help to enhance self-confidence and thus promote performance. In addition, people with goals will be more flexible. They can realize that success depends on their own actions and skills and cannot just wait for changes in the external environment. Therefore, they will more actively change their mentality and approach to deal with difficulties.
Everyone knows the benefits of having goals, but not everyone can set goals. Peter Drucker, known as the master of modern management, proposed the SMART principle of goal setting in his book "Management Practice" and believed that good goals should contain five major elements. S - Specific: the action plan in the goal should be specific and clear; M - Measurable: the progress and completion of the goal should have quantitative indicators, whether it is an increase in quantity or an improvement in quality; A - Achievable: the goal is set If it is too low, it will lack challenge; if it is too high, it may not be achieved without taking action. Therefore, a good goal should be set at a point that can be achieved with a high probability through hard work; R - Reality: whether the goal is in line with one's own life plan, Whether your personal values and interests are beneficial and achievable for your entire life; T - Time-limited: A good goal should have a time limit. The time to complete the goal should be planned according to the severity of the task and the urgency of things. When will the mid-term inspection be carried out? It should be roughly clear when it must be completed and what progress needs to be achieved at what point in time.
If the goals are set reasonably, the next step is to implement them resolutely. In the 1990s, based on extensive research on goal setting, many scholars believed that there are several key principles to successfully achieve goals:
1. Clear commitment. How much a person cares about his goals and his determination to achieve them will greatly affect execution. "Where there is a will, there is a way." When an individual is more committed to the goal, he will use all means to achieve the goal.To remind and maintain your original intention, the easier it will be to achieve your goals.
2. Create motivation. Persistence is not easy, we have to cheer ourselves up. Take weight loss as an example. If you want to succeed, take ten minutes every day to think about how many pounds you will lose, how much weight you will lose, how much weight you will lose, how much you will be able to wear your favorite clothes, how much happier your life will be, etc. Such imaginative stimulation can help maintain motivation; You can also affirm yourself after achieving a small goal, such as eating a delicious meal or watching a movie to reward yourself to stay motivated.
3. Instant feedback. Many people like to play games because most games provide instant feedback. Victory is rewarded immediately, and the time between each victory is very short, which can continuously bring stimulation and excitement to people. Therefore, our goals need to be refined, and it is best to list them one by one. Every time a "hill" is conquered, "check" after the entry; if it cannot be conquered for a long period of time, then refine a certain one and try to achieve it. Provide timely and rapid feedback and motivation. This helps us flexibly adjust our goals, respond to changes, and maintain sufficient vitality.