More often than not, you fail to follow through and accomplish your goals, this is why and how to course-correct.
New Year’s resolutions are a hot topic of debate, with two distinct schools of thought. On one hand, there are those who set overly-ambitious goals and then quickly lose interest in them. These people often fail to keep their resolutions by the second week into the New Year. On the other hand, there are those of you — like me, who though you see the New Year as a chance to reset, believe New Year’s resolutions are misguided and unsustainable. However, while self-improvement or goal setting is important, it should not be limited to the overwhelming pressure of the new year – it should instead become part of your daily routine.
The problem with setting lofty goals at the beginning of the year is that we tend to overshoot and lose sight of why we wanted to do them in the first place. Instead of enjoying yourselves along the way, your focus shifts solely towards crossing items off your list. This can be especially disheartening if, by December 31st, these goals haven’t been achieved; it’s easy for you to feel like a failure when this happens. It’s important for you to remember that progress should be celebrated no matter how small it may seem and not let setbacks discourage you from continuing onwards with your journey!
Listen to “The Open Conversations Podcast” on Spreaker.
This year, try taking a different approach to goal setting. Instead of making grandiose promises that may be difficult to keep and end up stressing you out, focus on small achievable goals throughout the year or even month – whatever works best for you. Break down your goals into quarterly and monthly goals so that they are more manageable. Then each day, plan out what needs to be done in order for you to reach your objectives. And if life gets in the way of your plans, you can just adjust as needed and roll with the punches!
Goal-setting tips for success
To help crush your personal and professional goals, here are five reasons you don’t accomplish your goals and how to set yourself up for success.
1. A sense of overwhelm
If you are not achieving your goals it is because they are not clear enough. The truth is, you fail to achieve your goals because they are too vague. Let’s assume, for example, that you have a goal of saving money to get a car. If you are not sure about the type of car, then it’s more likely you won’t be as motivated. But if your goal was as specific as “put away $312.50 per week to save $15,000 by December 31 to purchase a BMW”, then you would be more motivated. Setting effective goals is a critical step in the success journey. You need to know exactly what you want, and therefore identify specific goals that serve your purpose. Vague goals mean vague results. When your end result is clear it becomes a mental cue that directs your focus.
2. Lack of purpose
To achieve any goal you need to have a clear sense of purpose. In other words, your goal needs to be compelling and motivating. Setting goals that are deemed cool is just a recipe for failure. You may start out strong but it won’t be long before you fall off the wagon. You need to have a strong why? Why this goal? Why is it important? Knowing ‘WHY’ you want to achieve something is the most effective form of motivation. Your why is the reason you keep going even when you don’t feel like it.
3. A sense of overwhelm
Many of you fail because your goals appear too large or too impossible to reach. As a result, you start to feel a sense of overwhelm. When your goals start to overwhelm you, doubt easily sets in. This is why you want to set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely) goals. SMART goal setting helps to give you long-term direction through the development of an action plan designed to give you short-term motivation. Unless you take action to achieve your goal, it will never truly be a goal. First, you determine your goal, then figure out the process that would [cause] that effect. Making your goals SMART allows you to measure your progress.
4. No feedback on your progress
Goal setting is ineffective when you don’t manage and measure. The actions you take or do not take gives insight into your performance. When you manage your goals you are able to improve through your goal-achievement strategy. Keeping track of what works and what doesn’t helps to improve momentum and increase your chances of achieving your goal. Seeing progress is addicting as it puts you in the groove and in a state of optimal performance.
5. No accountability
Having big goals is one thing, but having the focus and support to achieve them is another. While self-accountability is vital, when you don’t have someone keeping you accountable it is much easier [not] to do something. Having an accountability partner to keep you focused helps to increase your chances of achieving what you desire. Whether it’s a friend you trust, a mentor, or a coach you hired, accountability can be a game-changer. Accountability can help build up your character and ability to finish strong.
We all have big dreams for our lives. But it’s only when we create a plan and execute that plan that our dreams begin to take shape in the reality. I believe that goal setting should be approached with a growth mindset. Don’t overshoot and focus on the process and not just the end result. You also want to incorporate your goals into your daily habits, enlist an accountability partner, and don’t let obstacles derail you.
