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How To Support Your Friends’ Goals (and Why It’s Important)

Your friends are your backbone, but they need your support too. Here are 3 ways to support your friends' goals!

Here on GenTwenty we talk a lot about goals. About how to set goals, why goals are important, and what goals even are to begin with.

Up until now, it has been all about personal goals, things we as individuals want to accomplish.

What about the goals of those around us? The people we call friends. Do their goals matter? The answer is, heck yes!

Our friends are our backbone, but they need support too.

Think about a goal you have… who supports that goal? Who pushes you to achieve that goal when you might feel like giving up? My guess is your family or friends.

This is why you need support your friends’ goals, because sometimes the world is not all about you but about how you can help the people you care about most.

Here are three reasons why you should be supporting your friends’ goals, and how to do that:

1. Be their support:

Sometimes people need to know you are in their corner to know they are not alone. Though the goal may need to be solely accomplished by your friend, it helps when there is a person they can count on when they need it.

I recently failed horribly while working towards a goal. I was about to give up and just say, “over it!” Instead, my friends were there to support me and remind me of all the reasons why I was on the quest I was on to begin with. Even though some of the advice they offered was cliché, it really helped.

Knowing they believe in me and that I can accomplish the great things I have in mind for my future helped me to realize the failing doesn’t mean the end, it just means I have to keep trying.

Without them in my ear telling me to keep going, I might have given up. Which is exactly why you should always support your friends goals — because you may change their path for the better.

2. Be their motivation:

So your friend set a goal and was really doing all that he/she needed to be doing but got burnt out and decide to take a breather. Then that breather turned into a vacation. That turned into never getting back on track.

This is when your friends need you most — to remind them that there is still work to be done.

It’s not about nagging them, but encouraging them.

Maybe they just need to hear what a great job they are doing to feel excited that they are accomplishing what they set out to do. Think of a friend who is trying to lose weight and change her lifestyle. You may tell her how great she looks and that all her hard work is paying off.

It is that recognition that can really make your friend go the distance.

3. Offer sound advice:

Offering advice to a friend is nothing new, but is a means to support their goals — and it can be very impactful on their journey.

Say a friend comes to you with an idea to start a new business, but they have no clue where to start. This is a chance for you to offer your input and help them.

Maybe they are searching for the right goal to set to open their new business, or maybe they are starting a new blog and need you to chime in on what you would like to read about. Offering your advice and perspective is a great way to encourage creative thinking, and it can also help them from making a rash decision.

Advice is your nonjudgmental way of offering help so they can stay on track to reaching their goal.

I know my friends have always been there to support me and help me achieve my goals, which is why I want to return the favor when they come to me.

Friendship is not one-sided and should not be taken for granted.


 

Discussion: Is there a friend whose support helped you achieve a goal or vice versa? How do you support your friends’ goals?

About the Author

Lauren Alexander

Lauren graduated from Hofstra University with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in psychology. She enjoys spinning, crafting, and Saints football. She is currently getting her teaching credential with hope to inspire future generations.