If I blindfolded you and dropped you off into town in some state you are not familiar with without GPS and without a map, it's highly unlikely that you would be able to find her way home. Why? Because you would not have a plan a map or direction. Why do I bring up this example? Because trying to navigate without a map or GPS is like trying to live your life without having goals. Maybe you're reading this and you're struggling with achieving goals, maybe you're reading this because you don't have goals and you want to start creating them. Either way, let me give you what I believe are the main reasons why you still haven't achieved your goals.
Reason #1 -- You haven't identified the "why" behind the goals. What does that mean? Let's say for example you decide that you want to lose 25 pounds. In my opinion one of the problem is you have identified the goal but haven't really identified why you want to achieve it. Is it because you want to live a long healthy life? Is because you want to lower your blood pressure? Is it because you want to enhance your self-esteem? Is it because you want have more energy? To me one of the most powerful techniques for achieving a goal is to identify the reason behind achieving it to begin with. That is the spark that lights the fire.
Reason #2 -- You have not fully committed to your goals. Be honest with yourself -- are you buying or are you renting? You know what I mean people that are renting are just kind of committed. People that are buying are all in. So have you taken time to think through your goals and really totally completely 1000 percent commit to achieving them? Are you willing to work on them late at night or very early in the morning? Are you willing to give up other things in order to achieve your goals? So ask yourself if you're truly totally completely committed to achieving your goals because that's necessary in order to achieve them.
Reason #3 -- Your goals are not clearly articulated. If I were to stand at the entrance of the large building in a major city and take a survey early in the morning of all the people entering the building, my survey would consist of two questions 1) do you have goals for this year? 2) are they in writing and what are they? Shockingly a very small percentage of the people that I asked the question to would be able to clearly articulate their goals and an even smaller percentage of people would tell me that they had them written down. Here's the deal -- you can't really hit a target if you don't know what it is, and you can't reach your destination if you don't have a map. So take the time to really clearly articulate your goals and exactly what it is you want to achieve. Be as specific as possible, when you're writing a goal this is not the time to be vague. Don't write down a goal "to be successful" -- no one knows what that means including yourself. Instead write down, "I want to be making hundred thousand dollars a year within 12 months from now."
Reason #4 -- Your goals don't have "action steps" -- It's entirely possible you have all of the criteria that I mentioned in reason number three. The problem though is you haven't taken it to the next step and that is what I call action steps. Action steps are the things you need to do to get to the goal. Let's say you have set a goal of losing 25 pounds. That is great but the next question is -- how? Action steps would be steps like 1) Work out 4 times a week 2) Follow some sort of dietary plan 3) Hire a personal trainer.
Reason #5 -- You haven't knocked down the negative barriers -- Whenever you try to achieve a goal you will have barriers that will block you way from achieving them. Here are a few barriers: 1) People -- if you have people around you who are always negative and discouraging -- you will struggle to achieve your goals. 2) Knowledge -- if you lack the knowledge on a certain topic, it will be harder to get it done. Let's say you want to get a book published -- you need to learn how the industry works to make that happen. 3) Resources -- let's say you are starting a business -- there are resources you will need to help you do that, like money, an accountant, a web designer, a printer -- well, you get the idea. 4) Your mindset -- you may have negative thinking patterns that are acting as a barrier to success. Take a hard look at that to see what you need to change in the way you think.
Here is my wish for you -- one day when you are old and sitting on a porch reflecting back on your life -- I want you to say, "You know I set those goals and I am so proud of what I did with my life."