Did you know that the art of setting goals and the science of following through with them aren’t necessarily linked? Fascinating, right? Today, we’re diving deep into the psyche, patterns, and habits to answer that burning question: Why can’t I stick to any goals?
Common Reasons People Struggle with Goal-Setting
Should we just accept that it’s fate to spend a life on the couch, snacking on a family-size bag of Doritos with no hope of ever sticking to a healthy lifestyle? Or accept that we’re never going to reach our body weight goal because we can’t dedicate the time to go to the gym regularly?
We should not set ourselves to such low expectations.
People often disregard new habits because they have experimented with them before. These individuals told themselves that they would do something and ended up not sticking to their plan.
Dieting came to a halt, projects went on pause, and hobbies such as yoga, reading, and writing became non-existent. They told themselves that they were going to eat healthier, but life just got in the way.
All these individuals share one thing in common: they don’t know how to stick to a new habit.
And they don’t even realize what they’re doing is wrong. Often, there are multiple reasons why they’re not able to maintain a new habit.
Welcome to Snapreads! Today, we’re bringing you the seven most common reasons people don’t stick with new habits! Once you have identified the reasons, you’ll be able to get that desired lifestyle you always wanted.
4 Reasons Why you can’t stick to any goals
1. Shifting Focus From Reward to Effort
Thinking about the end result and achieving the victory of reaching a goal is exciting: “Man, I can’t wait until I get that new job title” or “I’m going to look so good at the beach this summer” can be great motivators. It’s easy to start out full of energy and motivation at the beginning because our focus is on the end result.
However, there’s a disconnect with our brain’s focus before we start our goals and after we actually begin. Before we start putting the work in, we’re focused on the reward. Then, slowly but surely, we begin to focus more on the effort (i.e. hard work) it takes to get that reward. The key is to redirect our focus back to the reward as often as it takes to push through.
2. There Are Too Many Things on Your Plate
Having multiple goals at the same time is not a bad thing. However, having so many goals that nothing ever takes priority will yield poor results all around. If you feel like you’re never fully accomplishing one task or can’t seem to recognize which things are a top priority, there’s a good chance you have set too many goals at once.
A lot of us like to think we’re masters of multitasking, but science says otherwise. Be careful not to overload yourself, learn to prioritize, and you’ll reach your goals faster.
Understand that you have a limited amount of time and that you can’t do everything. Realize that by not finishing, you are missing out on all the opportunities that open up when you finish the projects you are working on.
3. Fear of Failure
Not reaching a goal because of the fear of failure is crippling and an insecurity that can seriously hold you back in life. Nobody wants to fail, and a fear of failure often stems from a need for perfectionism.
The avoidance of taking risks, however, is no way to go through life. The good thing is that by looking at why you may have a fear of failing, you can learn to overcome it and avoid letting it sabotage your goals.
4. Poorly Defined Goals or Unrealistic Expectations
Perhaps you want to write a bestselling novel or become the next viral YouTube star. Well, that’s great, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but how do you plan to make any of this happen? Without a clear definition of your goals, they’re just wishy-washy fantasies.
If you’ve never read a book or written anything longer than a tweet, writing a bestselling novel is unrealistic. Likewise, simply saying you want to be a viral YouTube star is too vague without putting some specifications in place.
If you don’t choose the right goals, you’ll end up becoming frustrated due to a lack of progress or lack the enthusiasm to stay motivated.
You’re picking the wrong type of goals if they are:
Not in line with your life goals
Aren’t motivating or inspiring.
Too big and overwhelming.
Unrealistic
Choose a goal that is possible to achieve. Having ambitious goals is a good thing, but wanting to become an astronaut is highly unlikely.
Pick a goal that you could see yourself striving for every day that is realistic. You won’t have any trouble staying motivated when you’re inspired and your goals have a sense of purpose.
Set SMART goals by being Specific, making sure they are Measurable, Achievable and Realistic, and last but not least — give yourself a Time deadline.
Give some definition to those goals by setting smaller goals along the way, like “join a writers group” or “make one new video a week.” This will help give you some focus while you work towards those loftier goals.
Conclusion
Unlocking the reasons behind elusive goals is more than just a productivity hack—it’s a journey to self-awareness and growth. Remember, every stumble offers a lesson, and with the right insights, you’re unstoppable. Keep pushing, keep growing, and know that you’re not alone in this journey.
