Disclosure: Posts on this site may contain affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through those links. Please read our disclosure policy for more info.
Goal setting is a process that can lead to success and help you get to the place you want to be.
If you love setting goals for yourself, like I do, you’ll also know that sometimes our effort just falls short of reaching those goals.
When this happens, people tend to give up.
Rather than letting the failure get to you, you need to figure out what went wrong.
Often times, the problem lies within the goal-setting process itself. We need to make sure that we are actually setting ourselves up for success and not failure.
Below are some of the most common goal-setting mistakes to avoid so that you can FINALLY achieve your goals.
Quick Navigation
You are setting too many goals
This is a common mistake that is made when goal setting.
But who can blame us though? There’s just so many things we want to achieve!
However, setting too many goals for yourself ALL AT ONCE can be extremely overwhelming.
It can lead you to become inefficient and prone to burnout.
And we don’t want that, girl!
Try prioritizing your goals, and focusing on them one at a time.
If you have a hard time doing this, then I highly recommended you reading Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. I always had trouble focusing on one thing because I thought I wanted to do it all. This book made me realize that I probably have ‘decision fatigue’ (which basically means I am unable to make good choices due to all the decisions we are forced to make) and therefore, have lost the ability to filter what is actually important and what isn’t. This book helped me cut out the unimportant things from my life and so I can be more productive and only focus on what is truly important to me!
Your goals are too big
A huge mistake that many people have is trying to tackle one BIG goal all in one shot.
Don’t do this! It can be overwhelming and de-motivating.
Instead, break down your ultimate goal into simple, achievable and manageable steps.
By having these small steps and habits in place, it makes it harder for you to give yourself an excuse for not working on your goals.
It will help guarantee progress and avoid procrastination.
Remember to make each goal (even the small steps) a SMART goal!
Related: HOW TO SET GOALS YOU WILL ACTUALLY ACHIEVE
You are not writing down your goals
Hands up if you are guilty of setting goals for yourself… all in your head.
Yeah girl, I see you.
Look, if you are slaying goals doing that, then kudos to you.
But it’s a little bit difficult for the majority of us to do so!
My point is, if you keep your goals only in your mind, there is less chance that it will be clear or sustainable. I always tend to forget what my goal even is!
Whether it be stuck on your wall above your desk, on a post-it note on your bathroom mirror, your computer wallpaper – you need to write it down and keep it visible.
There is no deadline for your goals
If you don’t have a time limit or a deadline for your goal, there is no sense of urgency or importance.
This may lead to procrastination and eventually, goal abandonment.
Eeeeep, no thanks!
We want to get where we want to be sooner, rather than later.
So set that deadline and make sure it is reasonable!
Your goals are not specific or measurable
Having a broad, general or vague goal is just counterproductive.
I mean, what exactly is it that you even want to achieve?
Having a general goal like “become a successful blogger” is all fine and dandy but like, it’s not specific enough.
What would you consider a “successful blogger” anyway?
A more specific goal along those lines could be “Build an email list to 1,000 subscribers by the end of the year” or “Make at least $1,000 per month blogging within 24 months”.
Get my drift?
You don’t know your “why”
Not knowing why you actually want to accomplish your goal, will make it hard for you to do so.
When things get tough, your purpose or your why will be the push you need to get over the finish line.
It will be your ultimate motivation.
That’s why it is important to set goals that are ACTUALLY important to you not just because you think you need it.
You are not rewarding yourself
Rewarding yourself at each step and celebrating small wins is necessary if you want to achieve continued success.
After all, we are creatures of positive reinforcement!
You are not reviewing or revising your goals
This is a mistake that is often made but it really should not be skipped.
Things are constantly changing. Your situation, and what you want may also change.
That’s why you NEED to have a review process.
Schedule in time once every week to look over what’s working and what’s not.
Goal setting is not a quick process.
It requires you to sit down and think about what you want to achieve and why.
It involves breaking down the goal into smaller, more achievable SMART steps and then writing it all down and reviewing your progress regularly.
So what are you waiting for?
Go smash some goals – you can do it!
If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to pin it for later or share it with a friend!
0 Comments