We’re halfway through the year. How are you progressing towards your goals?
To be honest, I have a complicated relationship with goals. I’ve set them every year since I was a little kid. They’ve progressed over the years from things like “wear my headgear regularly” to “make life as delicious as I possibly can”.
And yet, I think “typical“ goal setting can be limiting. With some clients, we work towards dreams. Other times, baby steps are more appropriate. The ultimate goal: moving forward.
Breaking down all those barriers holding us back IS hard. It’s messy. It’s frustrating. It’s freeing. It’s exhilarating. And it requires constant attention and processing. As one client often says “two steps forward and one step back”. Welcome to growing as a high achiever!
And yet, sometimes we don’t progress as quickly as we’d like to. Here’s usually why:
1. You don’t have a plan – I ask my clients to come to our coaching sessions with a focus for the conversation. A goal. Having no plan means aimless wandering. Aimless wandering is a great way to delay getting what you really want. So make a plan, follow it, and pivot as you get the clarity you need.
2. Your goals aren’t realistic – You want to quit your job and be rich by year-end. You want to be completely confident starting next week. You want total balance personally and professionally all the time. You want to be organized RIGHT NOW. Be reasonable about what and by when, and then let’s push for something a little beyond that, too!
3. You’re not consistent – What you want is within reach, but it takes patience. It takes hard work. It takes focus. It takes practice. And there’s no magic bullet for what you want other than laser focus on going after it with every cell in your body.
4. You’re not resting and fueling properly – Change is exciting and exhausting. Momentum kicks in once the change process begins, and riding that wave feels exhilarating. But to keep the momentum, you have to take a break every once and a while to refuel. Too many people are burnt out because they don’t allow themselves a break. Success doesn’t have to mean sacrificing yourself, or not showing up for family or friends. Take a break.
5. You’re too comfortable – If you’re not feeling uncomfortable, sometimes scared, and stretched out of your comfort zone, then you’re not putting in the work to see real growth. It’s that simple.
6. You’re making excuses – I know them all. I hear them every day. You don’t have the time. It’s too expensive. You’re not ready. You’re juggling a lot of other things right now. As Jordan Belfort says, “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.”
It’s no accident that every one of these reasons starts with “YOU”… because YOU have the potential to LIVE YOUR DREAMS. So get after it. Want help to get there faster and with more ease? Reach out.