Remember during your preteen years when you wrote an essay on what you wanted to be when you grew up. Then during your teen years you refined that ideal pathway on how you would achieve your goals? Assuming that you are an adult now, where are you on this ideal pathway? By now we have realised that the ideal pathway does not happen, but is rather more akin to a meandering river during seasons of rains and droughts.

Nowhere in that paragraph did I mention that the dream was impossible, but rather the journey may be much longer and take you to different places than you expected. I’m not where I planned I would be, that goal is still ahead of me; but looking back, the journey to this point has been nothing short of fantastic.

I want to share with you how I have survived the journey this far using three key motivators that have picked me up during the seasons of drought.

Don’t Stop Believing (Belief)
While it would be incredibly hipster of me to attribute everything to this karaoke favourite, its title carries the real message. From the minute you stop believing in yourself that you can achieve a goal, the battle is over. Belief makes you push just that little bit harder out of your comfort zone to move to being okay, to good and then to the greatness one needs to achieve your dreams.

With A Little Help From My Friends (Support)
Your network that is more important than any social network. There will be times that your belief falters. Enter your support network to get you back on your feet. Anyone in that position can attest that a conversation with a mentor, someone who has been through the experience before or simply a close friend or family member can help you remember why you started or offer a suggestion out of a tight spot.

You Know Nothing, Good Sir (Knowledge)
Education tricks some people into thinking they know everything and the period for learning is at its end. This my second run at the academic experience. What one learns in books and lectures is only a small piece of the pie. The value comes from the experience of networking, interactions and being outside of your comfort zone. Be crafty, use your academic knowledge and turn it into actual experience. Need some time to practise working in an agile environment? Use Scrum methodology to structure the timeline for my dissertation (my current self-improvement project). Treat every daily experience as a learning opportunity. Everything is connected in some way that you can use to improve your knowledge and outlook.

Everyone’s story for how to progress through life and achieve his or her goals is different. Experiences other than those I have mentioned may motivate and inspire you. Whatever method works for you, remember to move ever forward, never backward.