Every experience we encounter in life helps us learn about ourselves. We become more aware of the things we like and dislike, the things we want and don’t want, and ultimately who we want to become.

Through this process of “figuring it out”, we may discover that we become ambivalent about the things we were once passionate about before, and new dreams begin to develop in our minds.

However, there are often times when we leave those dreams tucked away in our brains because the thought of transforming them into reality leaves us overwhelmed or discouraged. We may begin to feel like it’s easier to go about our daily lives doing the very things we dislike, because it’s more convenient to remain within the norm vs. taking a risk and stepping outside of our comfort zone.

The reality is, it’s more than possible to accomplish the goals that we set for ourselves and our hearts desire.

Here are some steps you can start doing today to help you achieve your goals.

1. Let go of being “fearless”

You’ll find that there are many quotes on the Internet, bumper stickers and bookmarks that say we must be fearless in order to achieve our goals. But I now personally believe that is far from true.

After reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Big Magic”, I’ve come to realize and wholeheartedly agree that we all naturally have fear, and it’s necessary to have this fear to help keep us alive.

If we didn’t have certain levels of fear, we’d jump in deep bodies of water with subpar swimming skills, and we’d aimlessly walk down dark alleys at night in unsafe neighborhoods.

Instead of aiming to be fearless, strive to be brave instead. As Elizabeth states, “bravery gives you permission to work hard and stay focused as we advance into the terrifying but marvelous terrain of unknown outcome.”

2. Keep the bigger picture in mind, but create manageable tasks

Whenever I get overwhelmed about accomplishing my goals, one of my friends always reminds me that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Simply put, important work takes time.

To prevent yourself from feeling defeated before you even begin, map out every single step that it would take to reach your ultimate goal, and start there. When we take baby steps we become more focused on the task at hand, and are significantly less stressed.

3. Focus on yourself

Getting sidetracked, losing focus and comparing yourself to others is so easy to do in today’s society. One peek at your friend’s recent Instagram or Facebook post about how great their life is can send you into a whirlwind of anxiety about your own life.

With this in mind, it’s important to realize two things; social media often doesn’t depict people’s true reality, and even if it does, life isn’t a contest.

Your life is your life, and the pace at which you accomplish things isn’t meant to be compared against anyone else. We all have different paths and different purposes in life.

4. Wake up earlier

There’s just something about waking up before the emails start flooding in, the traffic piles up, and the constant chatter begins. If you’re feeling like you just don’t have enough hours in the day to accomplish even a fraction of your tasks, try waking up at least one hour earlier every day.

This will give you seven more hours in your week to exercise, meditate, write, or do whatever it is that will keep you on track to accomplishing your goals.

5. Be patient and show yourself grace

This is one of the most important lessons I’ve had to learn for myself, and it’s a good one to remember every single day.

We are only human, and that means we are naturally imperfect. Some days are just going to be better than others. One day you may find yourself extremely productive, and the next you might totally be off balance.

Giving yourself permission to experience those “off” days, to make mistakes, and learn lessons is necessary as you continue on your journey to reaching the goals you have set for yourself.