Strong Support for Your Goals

We all know the story of the three little pigs and its moral: Hard work and dedication pay off.

But, there is another lesson to be learned from this story — a lesson of the importance of having someone to rely on in challenging and difficult times.

What would have happened if there was not a third pig? The outcome would have been very different. The two pigs would have likely found themselves homeless, maybe even have become bacon.

The Foundations For Our Goals

Before we start building the exterior part of a house, we must put into place a few vital components: good plans, quality materials, skilled labor, and solid foundations. Once we have these, the construction may begin.

The same rule applies to building our future. We may have a very clear view of what we want to achieve (good planning), motivation (quality materials), and the required qualifications (skilled labor). Still, without firm foundations, we cannot proceed further.

This foundation is our social support system. It may include family members, friends, colleagues, an online community, etc. We look for encouragement and rely on these people during our journey. They are people who understand our plans and give us the motivation and the support we need.

I have been in situations where I received the support I needed and have also been in situations where I didn’t. The two were day and night. 

When supported, you feel you can spread your wings and fly. In the opposite situation, you often feel like a lone soldier, fighting against the world.

Sometimes your support may come from apparent places; other times, it may come from unexpected sources.

Note: As I was typing the highlighted text above, my phone blinked. I don’t usually have it next to me when I work, but I was waiting for an important call. I unlocked my phone to a message from an acquaintance with an image attached. Although it was sent to a group chat,  it was so relevant to this topic. What a synchronicity! I’ve added the picture below!

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Sometimes, at the beginning of our journey, we already have an extensive and supportive community. Sometimes we don’t. If you don’t have it, you can build it. Take all or some of the following steps, find your Piglet (s) and be a Piglet to those around you.

Build That Support System

– Find friends and family who are supportive of your plans. Knowing that your loved ones are by your side is a big motivator. You don’t need the support of everybody. Even just a few people believing in you is more than enough to fuel your success.

– Surround yourself with people who are as motivated as you are, if not more. Find people who work towards achieving their goals. It is tough to stay motivated if the others around you are not, so join online community groups (FB, Reddit, etc.) to gain a motivational boost from individuals working just as hard as you to achieve their goals. 

– Learn from successful people. Educate yourself on how they did it, on how they planned their work and activities. Find out what kept them going. There are many podcasts where successful people share their experiences; their stories are inspirational and can be very helpful to you. I often watch YouTube videos about such people.

– Attend events that can connect you with people who can provide support. It can be workshops, lectures at local universities, job fairs, etc. Try to communicate with the people attending or presenting at these events. They can not only support you but share their experiences with you and even become your mentors. 

– Be flexible with your support community. In the process, you might find new people who would provide the support you need. You may have to distance yourself from others. Our needs change as we develop. With the change comes the need for adjustment in our routines and social groups.

Encourage, lift and strengthen one another. For the positive energy spread to one will be felt by us all. For we are connected, one and all.
― Deborah Day

A Few More

– Don’t stay close to people that drag you down. We all know such people. They take up our time and energy with their issues and problems. It is one thing to help a friend in need and a very different thing to listen to the same old stories all the time. Instead of being a support to you, you may be their emotional baggage carrier, a dumping ground for their struggles.

– Don’t surround yourself with naysayers. Negativity will bring you down. It is best for you to have positive and optimistic people around you – people who would look for good opportunities, not bad possibilities. 

– Stop comparing yourself to others! This is not a tip on finding support but is a crucial part of building your foundations. Comparison is the thief of joy. You can never be like the others. Every person goes through experiences and trials unique to them. Be you!

Conclusion

I have my own goals to work on. Some of them are: 
(1) becoming a certified transition coach
(2) building this blog into an effective platform for providing motivational support for my readers.  

Some days are great. Some days are more challenging than others. There are days when I don’t want to talk to anyone and others when I want to socialize extensively; however, regardless of the day, I know that I always have the support of my close friends and family. So, I can lean on them when I need them and this makes an immense difference in my journey towards achieving my goals.

I hope you have a great social support system, and that you don’t have to make the journey alone. Find the support you need so you can achieve your goals sooner.

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Do you have a support group? How is this group supporting you? Share your experiences below, so others can also learn from them. If you’d like, you can contact me directly.

I offer a free 1-hour discovery session for new clients. I would love to talk to you and help you get on the road to becoming the best version of yourself.

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I am here for you!

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