How to Try Your Best at Anything
Think about what you want to achieve and why., Choose your projects carefully., Know what you’re capable of., Adopt a growth mindset., Break down your goals.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Think about what you want to achieve and why.
Choose goals that are meaningful to you.
Imagine how your life will be different after you attain them.Sometimes you may have to set a goal that doesn’t appeal to you much, like getting a good grade in a class you don’t want to take.
In a case like this, focus on how the outcome will improve your life.
In this case, reasons like "I will feel a sense of accomplishment" or "I will keep my GPA up" might help boost your motivation. -
Step 2: Choose your projects carefully.
To make the most of your energy and motivation, choose just a few projects that matter to you.
Don’t try to work on too many things at once.
If you spread yourself too thin, you’ll have a harder time giving anything 100 percent of your effort.Try to focus on no more than three goals at a time. , Doing your best is about pushing your own limits, not trying to measure up to someone else’s achievements.
Be honest with yourself about where your abilities are right now.
Set goals that make sense for your current skill level.For instance, if you’re new to running, don’t expect yourself to be able to run a six-minute mile right away.
A better first goal would be to run a mile in under 10 minutes. , Believe in your ability to work hard and build your skills, even if that means making mistakes sometimes.
Commit to challenging yourself as you work towards your goals.The opposite of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset.
Someone with a fixed mindset views their skills and abilities as inborn traits they can’t control or improve. , Turn each goal into a series of smaller goals.
Then make a list of action steps you need to take to achieve each small goal.
To keep yourself motivated, create daily or weekly milestones to work towards.
For example, if your overall goal is to learn a new language, you might break the goal down into steps like mastering basic greetings, comprehending the spoken language, and speaking fluently.
Each of these smaller goals will have steps within that you must complete. -
Step 3: Know what you’re capable of.
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Step 4: Adopt a growth mindset.
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Step 5: Break down your goals.
Detailed Guide
Choose goals that are meaningful to you.
Imagine how your life will be different after you attain them.Sometimes you may have to set a goal that doesn’t appeal to you much, like getting a good grade in a class you don’t want to take.
In a case like this, focus on how the outcome will improve your life.
In this case, reasons like "I will feel a sense of accomplishment" or "I will keep my GPA up" might help boost your motivation.
To make the most of your energy and motivation, choose just a few projects that matter to you.
Don’t try to work on too many things at once.
If you spread yourself too thin, you’ll have a harder time giving anything 100 percent of your effort.Try to focus on no more than three goals at a time. , Doing your best is about pushing your own limits, not trying to measure up to someone else’s achievements.
Be honest with yourself about where your abilities are right now.
Set goals that make sense for your current skill level.For instance, if you’re new to running, don’t expect yourself to be able to run a six-minute mile right away.
A better first goal would be to run a mile in under 10 minutes. , Believe in your ability to work hard and build your skills, even if that means making mistakes sometimes.
Commit to challenging yourself as you work towards your goals.The opposite of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset.
Someone with a fixed mindset views their skills and abilities as inborn traits they can’t control or improve. , Turn each goal into a series of smaller goals.
Then make a list of action steps you need to take to achieve each small goal.
To keep yourself motivated, create daily or weekly milestones to work towards.
For example, if your overall goal is to learn a new language, you might break the goal down into steps like mastering basic greetings, comprehending the spoken language, and speaking fluently.
Each of these smaller goals will have steps within that you must complete.
About the Author
Rebecca Gibson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical DIY projects knowledge.
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