Carly Ries
“You can always find a distraction if you're looking for one.” - Tom Kite
No matter how ambitious you are, distractions are everywhere. It’s nearly impossible to fully escape them. Even the highest performers in any given field encounter and fall victim to them.
Achieving your goals is a marathon, not a sprint, and as any marathon runner would tell you, at some point during the race, it no longer becomes a physical game, but a mental one.
You have to be able to keep your mind focused on what you’re doing and not let it look for a way out.
Easier said than done though, right? Luckily there are steps you can take to begin to build that mental stamina today so that you’ll be more adequately prepared the next time a distraction tries to enter your physical or mental space.
Here’s how.
Actionable Steps
Set Mini-Goals
It’s often easy to look for distractions when the task or goal you’ve set for yourself seems too large or difficult to tackle. Instead of setting out to achieve it, many people turn to procrastination. Consider turning this large task or project into subtasks. Get as granular as possible so that you have smaller, more easily achievable goals to conquer more frequently. Before you know it, your “insurmountable task” will be complete!
Get An Accountability Buddy
Pick a person you can call night or day that will get you back on track if you need it. This person should be somebody who believes in you and what you’re trying to achieve. Make this relationship mutually beneficial and be there for them when they get off track as well.
Avoid Multitasking
By nature, multitasking is a distraction, yet so many people see it as a way of being twice (or three or four times) as productive in the same amount of time. It simply isn’t true. Focus on one task. You’ll likely end up getting it done faster so that you can get going on your next to-do item!
Keep Your Mind Sharp
Instead of binge-watching Netflix or scrolling your social feeds for hours on end, get back to the basics to keep your mind sharp. Jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, card games, and trivia are just the beginning of the long list of activities to consider. Treat your brain like a muscle and keep it strong!
Sleep
Have you ever noticed that when you’re tired all bets are off? You already know how important sleep is, but when it comes to mental toughness it is key. If you’re exhausted you are much more likely to give in to temptations. Avoid that by getting your full 8 hours of zzzs.
Exercise
Overall health can greatly impact your mental health and energy levels that allow you to stay focused. If you find that your attention is dwindling, go for a jog. It doesn’t have to be for long, but just enough time to regain focus and put you back in the zone.
Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself
There will be times when you give in to temptation, and that’s OK! You’re human. It will happen. The trick is to not let it become a habit. By following the steps above, you’re already being proactive about eliminating a lot of regular distractions, so give yourself a pat on the back for that when you do have your slip-ups. Acknowledge you caved and then get back at it. Beating yourself up isn’t going to do you any good. You’re still on the path to success.
Food for Thought: What can you do today to increase your mental toughness?
This post is a part of series of posts that give a preview of our upcoming guide, Unleash Your Inner Awesome: Motivational Quotes With Actionable Steps to Help You Reach Your Goals and Achieve Great Things. To learn when this guide will be released and get access to it, be sure to follow us on social!
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