3 reasons your new year goals may be failing
Statistically, by now most people will have given up on their new year goals.
This shouldn't be a surprise by now, we’ve all heard the stats. And honestly, can you remember the last time you set a goal at the beginning of the year and actually consistently stuck with it throughout the whole year?
If you’re looking for a way to get unstuck with your new year goals, read to the bottom with a link to my latest challenge: Stop Sabotaging Your Goals.
There are three major scenarios I see getting in the way for people and their new year goals.
The goals aren't specific enough to measure
Without clearly defining what success looks like, we have no way of knowing we actually achieved the goal, let alone are making progress to get there.
A specific example I see a lot is someone's goal is "just wanting to be happy" or "finding a job I really like."
These are both great, but um, what does that really mean?
When goals are rooted in feelings, it's nearly impossible to measure. Not to mention that feelings come and go and aren't really something you can control.
If instead, you make your goals with clear success factors, you're able to track your progress AND celebrate your wins along the way!
Instead of "finding a job I really like," think about what the specific success criteria would look like in your dream job. Are you managing a team? Are you problem-solving on a daily basis? Are you working for a company that gives back to your community?
Listing out the various criteria you want can help you measure how closely a new role fits to your list BEFORE you take it, not waiting for you to take the job then hope one day you'll wake up actually "liking" the job.
2. You are too strict and structured with your expectations
Yes, I'm talking to you, perfectionists.
This is the other end of the spectrum from the goals not being specific enough.
When we're so strict on ourselves, especially for people that tend to over-achieve, we set ourselves up for failure, punishment, and self-hate.
I'm here to tell you that moving towards your goals and dreams doesn't have to be so structured that it isn't fun anymore.
Shit is going to pop up and throw you off course and it's okay.
So give yourself some wiggle room to design steps that allow you to flex as needed, and invest in what you really need that day.
Consider the difference between:
I must workout 3 times each week for at least 30 min
vs.
I'll do something everyday to move my body
Has a different feel to it right? Feels a little less like gym class that I'm forced to do and instead feels like something I GET to do and WANT to do and NEED to do.
If you're a recovering perfectionist like me, you may need to loosen up on yourself and your expectations.
3. You give in to your limiting beliefs telling you all the ways it might go wrong
Limiting beliefs (or saboteurs) are the little voices in our head that talk us out of doing what it really is we want to be doing.
Our saboteurs have typically been with us our whole lives and were created by our mind to keep us safe as children.
These saboteurs love to sabotage our goals because by not reaching our goals we can stay in the comfort and warmth and predictability of our comfort zone.
I believe this is why most people give up on their New Year goals by the end of February.
When we're going after a new goal, we're committing to going outside our comfort zone regularly AKA shifting our limiting beliefs.
Most people just skip the idea of shifting their mindset and instead focus on what they need to do each day to reach their goal.
But then those saboteurs pop up and talk you out of doing the things you know you need to do because it'd rather watch Netflix and eat ice cream.
It's called a being in a rut for a reason: because it's the path well-traveled and it's hard to get out and make a new path.
If you’re ready to do things differently, I’ve got you. Schedule a 30-min discovery call to see if coaching is the right fit for you.
Brittany is a life & leadership coach, trainer, and the founder of Hello Velocity where she helps ambitious individuals and corporate teams enhance their performance by working smarter, not harder. When she isn't building her business, you can find her planning her next travel adventure, taking a yoga or kickboxing class, or checking out a local brewery. She was recently acknowledged as one of the top coaches in Charlotte, NC.
