7 Reasons You Didn’t Achieve Your Goals

7-reasons-you-did-not-achieve-your-goalsYear-end is a time of reflection. And it’s also a good idea to evaluate your progress at the end of each week and month.

The process of reflection can be enlightening. Taking time to review your goals and your results helps you to understand how intentional you were.

What is the point of setting goals if you don’t achieve them?

The challenge for many people is that once they set their goals, they tend to just do whatever they want. And that often means avoiding their goals.

If you want to achieve your goals, you need to review them every day and identify positive actions you can take to achieve your goals.

It begs the question of why more people don’t take action toward their goals.

There are many reasons why this might be the case.

Here are 7 reasons you don’t achieve your goals:

1. You don’t take your goals seriously

Sometimes you might come up with a goal just for the sake of writing a goal down. Maybe the goal is too big. Maybe it’s someone else’s goal for you.

It’s OK to have goals you don’t plan to achieve anytime soon. It might be a placemarker for your future self.

Put those goals on the back burner so they don’t distract you.

2. You don’t believe you can achieve your goals

Sometimes you have a goal you really want to achieve but you just can’t see a path toward achieving that goal.

You don’t really believe it’s possible to achieve that goal.

And so you remain stuck in second gear. You just can’t get any traction. You can’t move forward on it.

You need to address your mindset when it comes to achieving goals.

You may have some negative self-talk or head trash that is preventing you from believing in yourself.

Maybe someone told you a long ago that you wouldn’t amount to much and that thought now haunts you.

Create some positive affirmations that will enable you to achieve your goals.

3. You are overwhelmed

Do you have too much on your plate?

It’s easy to feel paralyzed if you take on too much. In today’s age, people often attempt to do too much.

Ambition can lead you to set too many goals and get derailed in the process of trying to achieve them all.

You may find it beneficial to simplify and reduce your goals to make it easier to focus and take action.

4. You have a mental block against working on a goal

Sometimes you are held back because you are resistant. You might feel resistance to taking a certain action.

For example, you may have set a goal to enroll 3 new clients for the month. You identified that you need to make 100 calls, and schedule 6 appointments in order to enroll your 3 new clients.

The only problem is that you have a mental block against making calls. This is an affliction that faces many small business owners.

Let me just point out that if you are not willing to take the actions you need to build a profitable business, then what’s the point. You might as well just close up shop and go out and get a job.

If you find that you continually fail to take the actions needed to build your business, that does not bode well.

If you can at least get outside your comfort zone and make progress, then there is hope.

5. You are easily distracted

How effective are you when it comes time to sit down and work?

Do you stick to your plan and take the actions you intended? Or do you too easily let distractions disrupt your productivity?

Distraction is everywhere. It takes a disciplined person to stay on task and make progress.

If you want to achieve big goals, you have to do the work.

6. You tend to procrastinate

There is a relationship between distraction and procrastination.

Procrastination often leads to distraction.

Creative people are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of ideas they have.

There is a value to simplifying and being very focused about making progress.

Chasing Bright and Shiny Objects often leads to not getting anything done. When you don’t have any priorities, then procrastination sets in and prevents the completion of any work.

Another factor that can lead to procrastination is a lack of concentration. Brain work requires a high level of focus and concentration. If you are tired, you will procrastinate and find something easier or more enjoyable to do.

Know the best time of day for you to do creative work. Plan time on your calendar for creative work.

7. You don’t have an effective process for achieving goals

What is your process for achieving goals?

If you don’t have a process, then your job is more difficult.

Big goals require a strategy to break them down into smaller steps. That will make it easier to accomplish them.

Take time to review your goal achievement process and make improvements as needed.

Which of the above reasons explain why you don’t achieve your goals?

Did you select more than one reason?

The Power of Intention

I want to encourage you to become intentional about achieving your goals.

Keep your goals in front of you.

Review your goals daily.

Work on your goal achievement system.

Hold yourself accountable. Or find a coach who will hold you accountable to your goals.

What is possible for you if you got better at achieving your goals?

The sky is the limit!

Rick Cooper
Online Marketing and Social Media Trainer

1 comment

    • Virginia Reeves on December 22, 2016 at 3:59 am

    Rick – are you spying on me? (smiling) Sadly I fall into too many of those reasons. Doing better at not doing so. 2017 will see an improvement in clarity and commitment.

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