2. Health
Family
Relationships
Work
Leisure
3. Visualizing
success
Creating a plan
Rehearsing the
process
Look to the future
optimistically
4. Recalling
successful goals
Think and act
positively
Challenges are
temporary
Innovative
problem solving
5. Associate degree
Bachelor degree
Write a book
Move out of state
Editor's Notes
Hope can be found in many things, from the success of a small achievement to overcoming difficult challenges that hinder the process of success. Identifying, setting, and visualizing goals will help achieve success and learn optimism along the way. Prioritizing goals and changing the priorities often can lead to success. Learning how to balance all aspects of life is a challenge that can be overcome with the help of loved ones or a support system who believe and encourage success. As we learn how to foster hope, we also learn the benefits of optimism. Hope and optimism can lead to success in any challenge.
According to D. McDermott and C.R. Snyder (1999), “Hopeful people can tell you what they hope for.” Taking inventory of hopes and why we hope for those things can keep a balance of goals. Identifying goals in all aspects of life helps to foster hope for the future. It is important to assess certain aspects of one’s life – health, family, relationships, work, and leisure to identify the goals in which can foster hope. Setting many goals in each aspect helps ensure balance in achieving success in life. Setting and visualizing goals that are concrete in details will help in accomplishing the goal and fostering hope for the success of future goals. Prioritizing the goals in the order of most important to least important will help achieve success. I identify goals in my own life each day from most important to least important. I try to achieve a balance between work, family, relationships, health, and leisure; allowing myself adequate time to complete what needs to be done. When I do not get everything done I wanted to that day, I simply move it over to the next day and begin prioritizing once again. Identifying goals helps me visualize what needs to be done and allows me to visualize what I can do in one day.
Viewing goals as challenges and opportunities to reach the bigger goal in the end can help “focus on success rather than failure” (p.174). Visualizing success can strengthen the willpower to continue with the challenges that lead to the ultimate goal in life. “Visualize yourself succeeding so vividly that when the desired outcome comes, it seems to be merely echoing a reality that has already existed in your mind” (Norman Peale, 1982). Mental stimulation of visualizing success also fosters willpower. Creating a plan and rehearsing the process of steps will assist in reaching success of the goals. Visualizing my goals, seeing myself completing them, helps me understand the steps I need to do to reach success. I focus on success of reaching my goals instead of failure. Visualizing reaching my goals gives me the willpower to push past any challenges or difficulties that stand in the way. Visualizing gives me willpower which in turn reflects my optimism in accomplishing goals. I can then look to the future optimistically while looking back at my accomplishments.
Recalling successful goals fosters the perseverance needed to complete more challenging and difficult goals. Albert Ellis (1989) states, “People are predisposed to analyze the causes of disappointment and the specific answers they give are a key element in understanding why two people respond differently to the same event.” Learning to think and act positively will enable you to cope with challenges, setbacks, and pessimistic thinking while understanding the situation for what it is externally. Thinking things as temporary and specific will also help overcome negativity. Recalling my success helps me overcome difficult challenges that are in the future. I am positive and optimistic most of the time; this helps me remain focused on my goals in each area of my life. When faced with a difficult challenge while trying to accomplish my goals, I think of things as a temporary setback that only lasts for the moment. Then I reevaluate the situation and come up new innovative ways of solving the problem and reaching my goals.
A personal long-term goal I have for myself is to earn a college degree and move out of this cold state of Minnesota. I have changed and rearranged this goal many times. I have a step-by-step plan to become successful in reaching my goal. I will continue to work as a school bus driver while attending school until I earn my associates degree. When I earn my associates degree, I will find a job within the field of psychology while I continue to earn my bachelors degree. While I am working and attending school, I would like to write my book. Although the plan is to move south in six short months, I am ready for any challenges that stand in my way. I will adjust the steps to reach my goal as time goes on. The timeframe may be different than I originally hope for but I am also willing to do what is necessary so I am successful in reaching my goal. I change up my course of action based on the level of importance. If something else comes up that is more important, I will adjust my schedule to complete what is more important first. Some days I feel like I will never reach my goal but my husband reminds me that it will happen after we take care of the more important things that come up and stand in the way. He gives me the encouragement I need when I cannot seem to find it within myself. Everyone needs someone rooting them on; he is my rock that keeps me balanced and focused when I start to think negatively. Taking one day at a time, from moment to moment, will help me reach my goals at the right time. I can look back at everything I have accomplished so far to help me remember the things I can accomplish in the future. All I have overcome has helped me to get where I am in my life today. If I need encouragement, I have my husband and others who remind me what I am capable of. Reevaluating my goals periodically will assist in accomplishing the goals in time in the order of importance. Staying optimistic about the future, envisioning where I want to be and what I want to accomplish will help me achieve great success.
References Axia College (2004). Hope. Retrieved from Axia College PSY/220 textbook.Photo of the path retrieved February 19, 2011 from http://www.desicolours.com/colourful-nature-pics/19/09/2008Photo of goals in circle retrieved February 19, 2011 from http://www.casperstockham.com/healthy_family.htmlPhoto of man in maze retrieved February 19, 2011 from http://www.vend-a-future.com/Photo of ladder in sky retrieved February 19, 2011 from http://www.effective-time-management-strategies.com/family-goal-setting.htmlPhoto of graduation retrieved February 19, 2011 from http://studentloanwhiz.com/Photo of hope necklace retrieved February 19, 2011 from http://www.handcraftedcollectibles.com/birthstone_jewelry.htmPhoto of rock hope retrieved February 19, 2011 from http://www.vegansoapbox.com/desperate-for-hope/
