Worried about achieving your goals? Take charge of the stress in the moment to stay on track

By Suzie Doscher, Executive Coach and Life Coaching focusing on Personal Development, 
Self-Help Author 
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You have a goal, but are worried you will not achieve it.  So many issues are popping up that need dealing with, obstacles and other unexpected ‘stuff’ keeps interfering with your daily plan and / or overall daily structure. Stress kicks in, which means focusing is harder and so less is achieved … sound familiar?
 
All of these thoughts and mind chatter do not have to result in you getting off track or losing sight of your goal.  The trick  is to take charge of your thinking and push the ‘reset’ button. By this I mean, ‘reset’ the moment, not the direction you are heading or the goal you intend to achieve. 

Resetting the moment means handling whatever is causing you stress. Stress is an emotional issue and will not vanish with the flick of a switch in your brain. Unless, of course, you already....

have the skill of dealing with this. Think of the military Special Forces, they do not have time for emotions to interfere with their decision-making in the moment. They have the ability and the skills to stay focused no matter what. If necessary, they deal with their emotions at a later point, but in the moment, when a decision has to be made, emotions cannot be allowed to interfere.

If you feel stressed – you are having an emotional issue, not an intellectual one. The issue might be resolved with intellectual decisions, a change of mindset or other changes. However, in the very moment when stress kicks in, it was triggered by an emotion.
 
The goal of the moment -- never forgetting that this is all part of the path towards the main goal -- is to deal with whatever is going on NOW. To do this most effectively, it is best to be in a calm and grounded place – where emotions do not have the upper hand.

Neuroscience has proven that our cognitive resources are the first thing to go when emotions are present. Now is a good time to remember that stress is an emotional issue! Consequently, it is necessary to let your emotions settle, before you try to take action.

Anything you do before that, will be a ‘reaction’, not an ‘action’.
 
Your bigger, long-term goal remains, but in that stressful moment, it is best to refocus on what needs to be handled now. Focus on whatever is bothering you which now has you feeling stressed. 

Taking this approach will allow you feel more grounded (less in your head) and calmer, so you can deal with the issue effectively in the moment. The Practical Handbook for Life’s Difficult Moments ‘Balance’ was written for moments exactly like these. It is a book full of exercises you can refer to for support in shifting those triggers and gaining insight into your own behavior patterns. It is full of questions you can answer to help change your mindset, encourage insights and design action steps to get a grip on the trigger. 
 
In summary, consider the action plan below as a way to achieving your bigger goal with less stress and less fear that you might not ever reach it.

1. Clearly define your long-term goal. 
2. Acknowledge that obstacles might crop up that you will need to deal with. This does not mean you will not reach your long-term goal. You might get there on time, you might be delayed, or you might get there even sooner. Stay open.
3. Have the necessary support, delegate wisely, know who to contact and for what. 
   “Do what you do best and hire the rest.”
4. Know when to press ‘stop’ and ‘reset’.
5. Know how to reset. 
6. Explore what needs to be handled and how to handle it.
7. Follow through.
8. Then get back to your long-term goal.
   
   

The ability to apply this skill is part of growing and learning how to handle life and all it throws at you. 
Personal growth and development does not necessarily have an exact order of steps. Sometimes it is two steps forward and one step back and then maybe three forward. It is a process, be patient and go with whatever shows up needing some attention.

BALANCE - A Practical Handbook for Life's Difficult Moments