Image by: RUINS
By Alvin Martin

My friends, Arnold and Rita, are planning to get married by the end of this year. Unfortunately, they are on a “very tight” budget because they are also trying to fix their apartment. They have to cut back on basically everything, from downgrading their wedding venue, to cutting down the number of guests and minimizing the amount they have to spend on their honeymoon.

Last week, they showed me a photo of a 5-tier wedding cake that they would like to order. It looked very elegant and I bet, real expensive too. They also told me that they would like to organize a trip next month to carry our whole crew (that’s 12 people including the two of them) to the next island to celebrate their engagement, which of course, would cost a lot too.

Sounds like a good plan, right? However, I don’t have any idea how they’re going to pull it off because I know for a fact that they don’t have enough money to pay for all those things. They also have several loans from the bank already.

I don’t want to think that they’re being delusional. I love them and the last thing I want is for the two of them is to get frustrated and disappointed when things don’t go their way. Also, as much as I would like to bring them back to reality, I don’t think I’m in the right position to interfere with their plans.

I’m not an intellectual know-it-all but I am sure that goals are bound to fail when you’re not being realistic about them.

Dreaming is great but it could be really painful when it’s overdone or when you set it so ridiculously high.

Sometimes, you just have to open your eyes and start piecing the puzzle together so you can see the REAL picture.

However, goal setting is just part of the whole process. So, here are some things to consider for your aspirations not to fall flat on your face.

Define your purpose and be clear about what you really want to achieve.

You will fail all the time if you’re all over the place. It is important that you must first understand the reason behind the way you live your life.

When you’re dating a girl and she “friendzones” you, there are only two possible reasons I could think of. Either she just doesn’t see herself with you or you’ve been doing it wrong.

You’re probably not clear with your intentions or you’re just there for the chase. Whatever it is, you must have a clear sense of purpose and your actions should not contradict it.

Your goals should be fueled by your passion.

Perseverance without passion is like trying to drive a nice muscle car with an empty gas tank. It will not take you where you want to be.

Also, what makes successful people different from the rest is that they know what they want and they are determined to do anything to get it. It is crucial to have a clear vision of what and where you really want to be for it will give you a sense of direction.

Have you ever dreamed of quitting your job one day, retire early with enough money to pay the bills and just enjoy whatever life has to offer? Then by all means find ways to make enough side money so that you can eventually quit your job.

You can invest in real estate, write a book, sell products on Amazon or even sell your skills. You can also try to start your own blog. It may not be easy but it’s always good to start somewhere. So, go out there and start hustling.

Empower yourself with the necessary knowledge and skills so that you can execute your plans properly.

Ignorance is not an excuse. You have to find a way to align your abilities with your goals.

For example, if you want to increase your strength and build muscles like those Olympic weightlifters, it would be stupid to just hit the gym, get ahead of yourself and start lifting all those weights. You have to learn how to do it right or else, you’ll end up damaging yourself.

Don’t just master your skills but master your mind as well.

According to Marc Angelo Coppola in his piece “Align Your Goals and Release Yourself,” one of the possible reasons why you’re not accomplishing your goals is YOURSELF.

Staying focused, keeping your energy levels in check and knowing where you’re spending your time are essential in integrating yourself with your dreams. Your lifestyle and the way you think should be consistent with whatever it is that you want to achieve.

Failure isn’t a bad thing, guys. It only becomes frustrating when you know that you don’t give your 100% or there’s lack of action on your part. Sacrifice and pressure are all part of the process. Face it, embrace it and start working your way to reach your goal and avoid falling flat on your face again.