Are you dreaming about kicking that smoking habit, losing those last few pounds, or finally picking up that old hobby?

Goals in life vary from person to person, but the process of achieving them remains the same— it all starts with hope.

A tiny flicker, spark of desire for something more, something possible but not yet realized.

To even take that first step, you need to have positive thoughts about life.

Even for those of us with an open mind, mustering hope can feel like an insurmountable chore. But if we can, hope will get us off the couch and investing in something we care about.

Still, change remains difficult.

Why Is it So Hard to Change & Achieve Our Goals in Life?

Our brains are to blame.

Circuits of neurons, the synapses they create, and the subsequent neurotransmitters form habits.

The more time we spend doing something, the more likely we are to keep doing it thanks to this cluster of neurons. This is what we have come to know as a habit.

And our brains don’t know the difference between good habits and so-called ‘bad’ habits. We continue to build on these clusters until we actively choose not to.

What’s interesting, however, is that our experiences change our neurons or our habits. And we can create new experiences leading to new habits.

Deep down, we know this. We can sense that our higher brain can help us achieve our goals in life. For some of us, that ‘higher brain’ comes in the form of an inner voice that guides us towards some loftier goal.

But it isn’t as easy as listening to that voice. It’s much more complex than that.

Which is why we’ll break this process down into a few steps. With each step, you can move closer to your higher truth and goals. The best part is, you can do this in as little as 7 days…

How to Change Your Life Completely in 7 Days

Step 1. Become Aware of Your Negative Thought Pattern

Before you can start to have positive thoughts about life, you must first identify the thought patterns keeping you in the past.

The habit of thinking the same negative, dark, and self-defeating thoughts is what prevents us from becoming our best selves.

Of course, if we aren’t aware of which thoughts are on repeat in our head, we’ll never be able to change them.

One way to become aware of these patterns is therapy.

The introspection that comes from therapy helps you gain clarity over what you’re doing and why. It involves more than simply sitting in a therapist’s office, listening to yourself speak.

Good therapy is a dance. One that taps into the deeper level of our thinking patterns.

An alternative to traditional therapy, however, is meditation. Which brings us to our second step…

Step 2. Meditate to Learn How to Release Your Thoughts

Meditation isn’t about not thinking. It’s about focusing your energy on where you want it.

When negative thoughts get in the way of our life goals, it’s because we give them more energy than we should.

By learning how to concentrate on the breath, the inhale and the exhale, those negative thoughts begin to fade away.

Why is this important?

Because no change can happen if we keep thinking the same thoughts.

Change can only occur when we let go of all thoughts. Not resisting or fighting them. But simply letting them pass through our awareness, untouched.

This enables us to choose which thoughts stick around.

And if we can choose our thoughts, we can begin to change our life.

Step 3. Embrace New Positive Thoughts

Did you know that positive thoughts about life can reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by a third?

Researchers at John Hopkins Medicine also discovered that even people with a family history of heart disease had a 13 percent reduced risk of coronary death if they had a positive outlook on life.

Clearly, what we think matters.

Once we have done the self-analysis necessary to better understand our thinking habits and worked to change them through meditation, it’s time to adopt new ones.

Fortunately, we are creatures of adaptation. We know how to adapt when new situations arise.

Adopting a new way of thinking, and more importantly, acting, is the key to changing your life quickly.

Fast Track Your Goals in Life With 3 Simple Tips

The previous 3 steps are only the beginning. To truly fast-track your life in just 7 days you also need to set and achieve new goals in life.

Most of us have basic goals, but to make lasting change we need to set goals that push us towards a new path. And we need the courage to set them.

What’s the secret to meeting those goals?

According to a study from Dominican University of California, to set and achieve our goals in life we must follow the following strategy:

Write down your goals —Researchers found that not only writing down your goals but rating them according to both difficulty and importance, contributes to success in achieving them.

—Researchers found that not only writing down your goals but rating them according to both difficulty and importance, contributes to success in achieving them. Be accountable —In the same study, individuals who were held accountable by a friend or support group had a greater chance of attaining their goals in life than those who weren’t.

—In the same study, individuals who were held accountable by a friend or support group had a greater chance of attaining their goals in life than those who weren’t. Be committed—To succeed, this same study also revealed that commitment and specific action towards that commitment, improved success rates.

Over the next 7 days, challenge yourself to set and achieve 1 specific goal.

It can be something as simple as walking 30 minutes a day

Something more complex, like writing a chapter in that book you’ve been dying to write.

Find a friend who can hold you accountable and watch as your life changes.

Whatever approach you take, positive thoughts about life will improve your ability to reach your goals.

As you absorb this information and struggle to attain your goals in life, keep what Joseph Campbell said in mind:

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

May you have a Blessed Day!