Why we Often Fail To Achieve Our Goals
A goal is your destination and gives you a direction to move towards rather than trying to move away from something.
Did you know there are 3 main reasons we fail to achieve our goals?
We often state our goals in negative rather than positive language
We don’t write our goals down or socialize them with others
We overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and underestimate what we can achieve in the long term.
When setting goals, always say what you want, not what you want to avoid.
When setting goals, always say what you want, not what you want to avoid.
A goal is your destination and gives you a direction to move towards rather than trying to move away from something. One of the reasons why giving up something is so difficult is because the goal is so often expressed in the negative – as giving up, rather than achieving something positive. For example; “I want to give up smoking” or “I want to lose 10kg weight” can be better expressed as “I am living my life smoke free” or “I am my ideal weight of 65kg.” Keep in mind, you don’t go to the supermarket with a list of what you don’t want so set goals you are more likely to achieve by stating what you want.
It sounds a bit cliché but writing our goals down actually works – Forbes research shows that it increases our likelihood of achieving them by 42%. You will remember something better when you have access to a visual clue because it helps us to physically see and refer back to it. Categorising goals into short-term, medium-term and long-term goals along with creating a visual picture increases the effectiveness further. These days there are plenty of wonderful stationary resources for capturing goals and keeping track of progress. Also consider creating a collage or mood board so that you have a beautiful visual representation of your goal(s).
Often we get overly excited about setting new goals, targets and aspirations for ourselves which can lead to the ‘over commitment illusion,’ setting ourselves up to fail by committing to too much in the short term. Driven by the internal overachiever, we are in danger of placing unreasonably high expectations on ourselves even though past experiences prove it has not worked before. How about considering engaging a coach to help act as a guide by exploring and verifying that goals are challenging as well as realistic ensuring achievement of motivating goals that are well planned across short, medium and long-term timeframes.
A coach can play a vital role in keeping you grounded and on track.
A coach can play a vital role in keeping you grounded and on track to achieving your goals by providing guidance, accountability, and support.
Through regular coaching sessions, your coach will maintain focus on your goals, developing action plans, and identifying potential obstacles – things we sometimes cannot see for ourselves. Let a coach serve you as an accountability partner providing encouragement and motivation to overcome your challenges but ultimately providing unwavering support to help you navigate your journey towards the outcomes you want in your personal and professional life.
Ready to redefine your goals? Embrace a fresh, positive approach with the help of a professional coach today, and transform your dreams into achievable realities.