HOW TO PUT YOUR PASSION IN MOTION

Anyone who has read books or articles about goal setting understands the importance of setting deadlines. The practice of setting deadlines is required to reach long-term success. However, in order to be effective, deadlines need to be reasonable and achievable in a short amount of time. When deadlines are set too far in the future, it is easy for people to become distracted by other things and never take action toward meeting them.

One method for setting realistic deadlines is creating a calendar with a schedule of tasks that need to be accomplished. This can make it easier for individuals to stay on track and decrease their chances of veering so far off course that they do not accomplish anything on their lists. Since these are personal goals, entrepreneurs need to be internally motivated and hold themselves accountable for accomplishing self-assigned deadlines. Reaching goals by a set deadline is impossible without self-discipline.

Even with a lot of preparation and a clearly defined roadmap, things will not always go as planned. Part of the journey is recognizing that curve balls will come along when they are least expected. These curve balls may indicate that a change of course is needed or that it may be time for people to reevaluate their original plans. Regardless, overcoming challenges is a part of the process. Once people make the decision to be fully dedicated to their plans, they will find incredible rewards as a result of their efforts.

Although the rewards will come eventually, not all curve balls will be easy to move past. Many people are familiar with the television character “MacGyver” who was able to escape difficult situations with a few simple items. Although it may seem a bit silly, he serves as a good model for solving real problems today. When people hit curveballs and are willing to think outside the box, it can result in new ways of solving problems that are not easily found when only focusing on what is already known. It may not result in a final solution, but this type of innovation can at least bring about new information and ideas that may be helpful in determining the proper solution.

Passion is often touted as the key to new ventures. People often talk about starting businesses based on their passions, but this is often not enough. Just because people like the idea of something does not mean they would be any good at it or that they would be able to make any money working in that area. For example, people who are passionate about the music industry would not necessarily make good singers if they could not carry a tune. However, they might still be able to find roles in the industry that would allow them to live out their dreams. It is essential for people to pick passion projects that allow them to utilize their skills–or at least where they have the potential to acquire specific skill sets. Without the skills and knowledge about a field, the chances of success are very small.