How to Balance Achievement with Self-Compassion

We all have things we want to accomplish, but sometimes our goals can seem overwhelming, and can even lead to self-destructive thoughts if we fail to achieve them. Follow these steps to help you progress toward your goals without being too hard on yourself.

Prioritize

Focus on the things that are most important to you. Trying to achieve too much is more likely to lead to exhaustion than improvement, so put your best efforts into whatever area of your life you really want to make a positive difference in.

Set Manageable Goals

Most major achievements take more than step to accomplish, so break your overall focus down into small steps that build on each other. Having a list of steps can help you focus on small successes, and see that even if you flub up at some point, you don’t have to give up or start all over again—just try that step again, or move on.

Practice Forgiveness

Even the most self-disciplined people experience failure sometimes. If this happens to you, try engaging in positive self-talk instead of beating yourself up. Look at the good things you’ve accomplished in life, and use those to prove to yourself that you can do this. Tell yourself you’re forgiven for this slip-up, and you get another chance to try again.

Celebrate Success

It’s important to forgive yourself for setbacks, but it’s just as important to celebrate your successes. Every time you move closer to achieving your goal, even if it seems minor, pause to congratulate yourself, or share your success with someone supportive. Celebrating success helps you to recognize it and motivates you to keep going.