5 Ways To Stay Focused On Your Own Goals If You Feel Like Everyone Else Is Thriving Naturally

Stay focused on your own goals

Remember how there was always that kid in school who’d brag about ‘hardly studying’ whilst consistently nabbing A’s on every test? It’d make you feel pretty damn crappy, right? Especially when you were busting your chops 24/7.

Unfortunately, there’s a whole lot of that in adulthood. Oftentimes, it can feel like everyone else around us has managed to ~figure it all out~ without enduring the painful struggle of confusion, thankless work and mistake-making you encounter. It can feel like this when it comes to careers, houses, cars, holidays, clothes – the idea that everyone but ourselves is thriving, while we’re stuck in an eternal flop phase.

It can be so difficult to block out and remember that we’re all on our own unique path, especially these days when everything is broadcast on socials. We naturally put so much pressure on ourselves to succeed and every second there’s a new 15-year-old who’s become a millionaire off a TikTok dance.

Luckily, there are few things you can do in this sitch that’ll help you hyperfocus on your own goals and block out the haters – it’ll be so beneficial to your own mental health and happiness and ultimately aid you in your journey to soaking up everything you want in life.

Don’t Do Things With The Intention Of Approval

You’re never going to feel fulfilled if you’re reaching for a goal that’s not your own. There’s an omnipresent voice in our brains that signals the importance of the approval of our parents, friends and family.

Obviously, seeing those people proud is an awesome feeling, but working towards something purely for the sake of their happiness is never going to work.

If you feel like you’re on the wrong path in any way, ask yourself why you’re lost. Is it because you’re not following in the footsteps of others? Or because you’re doing your own thing that just so happens to be super different to everyone around you.

Be the lone wolf in this instance.

Stick To Routines That Work For You

There’s a misconception that a successful routine looks like waking up at 5 am every day, completing a 10km run and eating a 5-star breakfast before the sun rises, but that is truly not going to work for everyone.

Find routines and habits that work for you and you’ll find ways to ensure you’re focusing on the right things at the right times. F45’s not your vibe? Cop a pair of the most vibey activewear possible (like these 2XU tights) and take up something more lowkey like pilates. Studying in the morning doesn’t work for ya? Turn your room into a nocturnal haven that gets the creative juices flowing into the deep hours of the night.

Focus on what works for you and you only. We’ve got limited time on this spinning rock, so there’s no point in solely trying to impress anyone else.

Unfollow The Toxics

Unfollow, mute, block and resist the temptation to check the socials of anyone who bullied you in high school. Just don’t do it.

I don’t mean to sound like a Year 10 PDH teacher, but social media comparison is honestly the easiest ticket to mental downfall, yet so many of us still fall victim to it. What we see on our feeds has a subconscious effect on our brains that we don’t even notice occurring half the time.

The tiny jolt you get in your heart every time you see your arch-nemesis humble brag about something irrelevant will eventually build into full-blown resentment which is so not healthy. Get rid of it altogether, and once it’s gone, you’ll feel lighter, trust me.

Celebrate Your Small Wins

Life isn’t all about the huge milestones. If you’re constantly waiting around for a momentous occasion to pat yourself on the back, you might be waiting a while, or feel a huge sense of anti-climatic disappointment when you do.

Celebrate your small wins – this whole year has been made bearable by setting our own traditions and livening up life in any way possible. So why not take that mood into other aspects of life? Whether it’s as simple as getting through the week or finally overcoming a long-term fear, treat yourself.

We can speak so harshly to ourselves, our brains deserve a bit of a self-imposed gas-up sometimes. So if you’re ready to bounce into 2021 (and forget 2020), embrace your inner power and award yourself with the little boost of encouragement you need – 2XU are here to help you along the way too.

Study Your Hero’s Paths

Our lives these days are based around instant gratification. We can get whatever food we want delivered to our doorstep in a heartbeat, watch any movie/TV show we want in a flash, but life in the grand scheme of things is more of a slow burn.

Overnight success rarely exists, and when it does happen; longevity hardly ever comes with it.

Study your hero’s paths – I can assure you their path to success has been less-than straight and narrow and it is one of the best reminders to stick to your guns and keep your head down. Seriously, all you’ve got to do is watch The Last Dance on Netflix to realise how important failure can be.

If there are people in your immediate circle who brag about it how it all comes naturally, it’s probably a big fat lie. It’s all smoke and mirrors and they’re probably hiding behind their own facade of insecurity.

Taylor Swift even admitted it herself throughout folklore, and particularly on the track ‘mirrorball’, “I’ve never been a natural, all I do is try, try, try”.

If she (the Grammy-winning, stadium tour sellout stalwart) can admit to having doubts and show the importance of working on the craft even when it feels off, then you can too.

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