4 Ways NOT to Set Goals
We hear plenty about how to set goals. Today I want to chat about what NOT to do to so you can set yourself up for success from the start.
Napoleon Hill said, ‘A goal is a dream with a deadline.’ Are you great at dreaming but not so good at reaching your goals? If so, something is holding you back.
How to Set Goals the Right Way
Here are four of the most common reasons we fall short when we set goals and how to overcome them.
Way # 1: The Reason Gets Away from You
It takes a long time to reach your goals. During that time, it’s easy to stray from the actual reason you ever wanted to achieve it. In fact, you may very well forget it entirely.
How do you keep from doing this? A great way is to write this reason down. Ask yourself why you want to make this change and answer it as honestly as possible. Take that piece of paper and keep it with you constantly.
You may also find your motivation to reach the goal waning, especially when you encounter challenges along the way. Keeping a written statement of why you want to achieve your goal keeps that initial excitement with you to push you forward.
Way # 2: Too Much on Your Plate
The expression ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ applies to goal planning as well as many other things in life. If you try to take on too many things at once, you’ll be spending your energy all over the place. You won’t have the focus that you need to reach even one, and you’ll most likely burn out quickly.
But what can you do if you’re an ambitious person with lots on your plate? The solution is to make a huge list of goals and just pick one. Work on one until you get comfortable with it and start seeing results. Then, you can add the next goal to your already busy schedule.
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Way # 3: Choking on Negativity
Often, we fall short of what we want because we focus too much on negatives. You think about what you don’t want or where you don’t want to be, instead of visualizing yourself in a good place in the future.
For example, if your goal is to get a better job, stop thinking about the lousy one you have now. Sure, it may be a good motivator to get you job hunting; but the negative thinking it’s causing you can stand in your way. Instead, focus on the wonderful new job you will get.
Way # 4: Kill the Fear
Many of us cannot make progress on our goals because of fear, which is perfectly natural. If you’ve got a big goal you’re working toward, there’s a good chance it’s something you’ve never done before, and that can be terrifying.
When you’re afraid, it’s usually because you doubt your abilities. But with proper planning, this isn’t an issue at all. If you break your goals down into sub-goals and daily actions that will get you closer to them, it just becomes a matter of logistics. An excellent plan with concrete steps helps you overcome fear.
Take Action Today
Ultimately, the primary reason we fail at goals is that we do not take action. This could be because of the fear mentioned above or for other reasons, but it’s essential to do something each day that gets you closer to your goals. This helps you understand your own abilities and skills better, and it gives you more confidence when you see yourself getting closer to getting what you want.
Michelle D. Garrett is the founder of Divas With A Purpose. She focuses on sharing resources for being purposely productive; setting personal and professional goals and achieving them through daily action; and successfully running a business while focusing on your mental health. Michelle is a full-time entrepreneur who specializes in teaching female entrepreneurs how to show up consistently in their business – online and off.
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