What do you do once you have reached your goal?

You have done it! CONGRATULATIONS!

You set the goal; you worked hard; you achieved it with gusto! Go and celebrate.

There have been ups and downs. You went forwards, backwards at times but you ultimately made it across the finish time. You have now reached that point where you can tick it off the list.

So, what do you do now? What does the marathon runner do when they hit their PB? What does the Olympic athlete do once they have won a gold medal?

Or perhaps closer to home and one that most of you reading this blog can relate to – what happens when you hit that weight loss or transformation goal?

There are some excellent strategies for moving forward while avoiding the slippery downhill slope once you reach a big goal. The most successful strategies are all based on somehow growing as a person. These strategies are as follows:

1. Set a new (bigger) goal. This works well in areas where there is room for expansion. It may be something totally unrelated to your original goal. There is always a bigger goal, it is just a matter of finding another goal that excites you (now that’s a subject for another blog).
2. Move the original goalpost further out. Similar to the previous strategy except it is based on expanding the original goal rather than looking for a different bigger deal.  For someone who has completed a 5km fun run, perhaps an idea would be to work toward completing a 10km fun run.
3. Fulfill an Unrelated Childhood Dream. Achievers often focus in an area while neglecting other interests. Once a big milestone has been achieved, why not go out and pursue a childhood passion?
4. Quit! Yes, this might be a good option if you had to go through hell to achieve your goal. Suppose you have spent the past 30 years building a successful business – why not sell the business, retire and travel the world! Let’s say you’ve had a popular blog or program running for a few months or years and met your goals. Or have your third book published and are not super keen on writing a fourth one. It is often better to quit while you are ahead and leave on a high note. A completed goal does not need to automatically need to lead to a bigger one. Take a break, smell the roses and don’t worry about rushing into a big new adventure right away (if ever again). That can actually be the goal – to slow down and not keep chasing big ideas.
5. Join the Community. Let’s say you met a weight-loss or transformation target. Why not stay with the club you already joined even if you don’t have a current goal. Help others achieve their goals and learn from your experiences. Chances are you’ll stay in shape and maybe set a new goal in the area if it serves your interests.
6. Become involved in a different way. Sarah Fitzgerald – 5 time world squash champion, is now the President of Squash & Racquetball Victoria. She is giving back to a community that supported her during her professional career. She is still being productive after achieving a big goal by getting involved in different activities that are in the area she loves. This strategy basically involves staying in the loop.
7. Don’t let it die a slow death. This one is career related. If you are finding that your career has peaked, be careful to avoid becoming a casualty of a slow painful death. Keep going, change goals, quit or stay involved in a different capacity but don’t achieve your goal and then let things slowly crumble because it could suck the life out of you in the process. Too many people experience the letdowns associated by passing their peak without having established someplace else to turn.

These strategies can also work for anyone who has not yet met a big goal or there is no viable way to reach it. Make the necessary adjustments to the goals so they can become achievable.