You've been working extremely hard, but it seems like achieving your goals are miles away, so you start to question and doubt yourself. If you're feeling this way, you're not alone; here are 15 reasons people never achieve their goals and ways you can change that.
It's extremely disappointing setting big goals for yourself but never being able to push through enough to achieve them.
If you think you've tried everything and there's an alternative motive for why you haven't achieved your goals, you most probably haven't tried everything.
1. Not having a clear plan of action.
I cannot stress enough the importance of having a clear plan of action to achieve your goals.
Believe it or not, you need to know what steps you need to take in order to achieve your goal. Otherwise, you'll be going in circles and getting nowhere.
Figure out what steps you need to take and then put them into a timeline or schedule to help keep you accountable and on track.
A plan of action helps keep you focused on your goal and gives you a sense of control over the situation; here are 10 steps that will help you reach your goals and achieve your dreams.
2. Trying to do too much at once.
Humans are wired to be monotaskers, meaning that when we try and focus on too many things at once, our productivity levels drop, and we become less effective.
As a result, when you're trying to accomplish multiple tasks, it's easy to get overwhelmed and make too many mistakes or not finish anything at all.
Take things one step at a time and focus on completing one task. Work on that until it's complete before moving on to the next to help you stay organized and avoid getting burned out.
3. Being inconsistent.
We are all guilty of this one, myself included; you start the month or week with good intentions of working towards your goals, but then life gets in the way, and you become inconsistent.
Part of being successful is being consistent and persistent with your efforts; this means putting in the work day in and day out until you reach your goal.
Otherwise, it'll be difficult to make any progress. It's okay to have an off day here and there but don't let it turn into an off week, month or even year.
4. Letting your emotions control you.
Your emotions can be both your best friend and your worst enemy in goal setting.
Letting your emotions control you can lead to impulsive decisions that jeopardize your success chances. For instance, getting angry and quitting your job because you're not happy without having another one lined up.
That's not to say that you shouldn't do what makes you happy, but rather, think with your head before making any rash decisions.
It's important to be in control of your emotions and not let them get the best of you, especially when it comes to making decisions that can impact your life.
5. Suffering from Shiny Object Syndrome.
Despite having a plan in place, some people simply never achieve their goals because, and I'm guilty of this one, Shiny Object Syndrome.
Shiny Object Syndrome or SOS is defined as the tendency to become fixated on something new and shiny that's caught your attention, and as a result, you lose focus on what you're currently working on.
For instance, you're in the middle of working on a project, but then you see an email pop up in your inbox about a new opportunity and all of a sudden, you're fixated on that instead.
It can be difficult to resist the urge to jump ship when something new and exciting comes along, but it's important to recognize when this happens and refocus your attention back to what's important; otherwise, you'll never get anything done.
6. Not being prepared for setbacks.
Setbacks are inevitable, but they can be extremely discouraging and paralyzing if you're not mentally prepared for them.
Talk to people who have achieved similar goals and find out how they dealt with and overcame such setbacks to help you develop a plan and make you feel more prepared when things don't go as smoothly as you'd like.
The key is not to let them get the best of you. Instead, view them as learning experiences and use them as motivation to keep going.
7. Having a fear of failure.
Although failure is a part of life, it's not easy to deal with, and a lot of people never achieve their goals because they're afraid of failing.
What's the worst that can happen if you fail? You'll face your fears, learn from your mistakes and be a step closer to achieving your goals.
With that being said, the best way to overcome this fear and keep going is to remind yourself that failure is not the end of the world; it's just a stepping stone to success.
8. Lacking focus and discipline.
Life can be full of distractions, and as a result, it's easy to lose sight of what you're trying to achieve if you don't have a clear plan to help you stay focused and disciplined.
You need to have a clear vision of what you want and be willing to put in the work to make it happen, meaning being focused and disciplined enough to stick to your goals even when you don't feel like it; you need to push through the tough times and stay on track.
9. Being a procrastinator.
Procrastination is defined as the act of putting off or delaying something that needs to be done, and it's one of the biggest enemies of goal achievement.
It's human nature to avoid doing things that we don't want to do or that we're uncomfortable with and then wonder why we never made any progress.
Procrastination is a thief of time, and it robs you of your potential and keeps you from achieving your goals; months or even years have gone by before you know it, and you're still in the same place.
The best way to overcome procrastination is to take action. Even if it's just small steps, it's important to get started and keep moving forward.
10. Lack of self-belief.
Your mind has the ability to manifest what you believe into reality; if you don't believe that you can achieve your goals, then you most probably won't.
For a long time, I listened to those around me who said I couldn't achieve my dreams and that I should stick to my reality.
I was constantly being told that I was too idealistic and that I needed to face the facts and accept that my dreams would never become a reality.
I would set these big goals for myself and then get so overwhelmed thinking about all the things that could go wrong or how difficult it would be to achieve them that I would talk myself out of even trying.
What I didn't realize at the time was that it wasn't their lack of belief that was holding me back but my own; I had let other people's opinions shape my own beliefs about myself and what I was capable of achieving.
I had let the negative voices in my head win, but I knew that I wanted something different in my life.
To overcome a lack of self-belief, recognize that you are the only one who can control your thoughts and beliefs. Second, start speaking kindly to yourself and building yourself up instead of tearing yourself down. And lastly, don't let anyone else's opinions or fears stop you from going after your dreams.
11. Being a perfectionist.
The quest for perfectionism is another common reason people never achieve their goals.
When you're a perfectionist, you're so focused on making everything perfect that you never actually get started or get so bogged down in the details that you lose sight of the big picture.
Perfectionism can be a huge obstacle to overcome, but it's important to remember that nothing will ever be perfect because there will always be room for improvement.
When striving for perfection, you're setting yourself up for disappointment because there's no such thing as perfect.
Start by setting your standards a little bit lower and giving yourself some credit; focus on the progress you're making instead of how perfect it is.
12. Negative self-talk
Negative self-talk is when you constantly tell yourself that you're not good enough or can't do something.
When you have negative self-talk, it's easy to get caught up in a cycle of self-doubt and discouragement. You start to believe what you're telling yourself, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The best way to overcome negative self-talk is to become aware of it and make a conscious effort to change your thoughts; you need to start speaking kindly to yourself.
You are capable of so much more than you realize, but you'll never know it if you don't start changing how you talk to yourself.
13. Comparing yourself to others.
Comparing yourself to others is one of the quickest ways to kill your motivation. When you compare yourself to others, it's easy to get caught up in feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and discouragement.
Comparison robs you of your joy and keeps you from seeing your unique gifts and talents, which is why it's important to remember that everyone is on their journey, and you are exactly where you're supposed to be.
Comparison is nothing more than a waste of time and energy, so focus on your journey and what you can do to move the needle.
14. Wanting fast results.
In a world where instant gratification is the norm, it's no wonder that people give up on their goals when they don't see results fast.
When you're working hard towards a goal and don't see results, it's easy to get discouraged, give up and punish ourselves; it happens to the best of us.
However, Rome wasn't built in a day, so be patient and continue putting in the work, even when it feels like you're not making any progress.
You must remember that overnight success is a myth, progress is never linear, and good things take time; this 30-Day Challenge will bring you a step closer to your goals and help you transform your life.
15. Giving up.
Giving up is the surest way to fail; when things get tough, or you don't see results, don't throw in the towel and call it quits.
You need to keep going no matter how difficult things get; you can't give up just because things are tough.
Every time you want to give up, remind yourself why you started in the first place and remember that the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change; after all you are exactly where you need to be.
All of the above are common reasons why people never achieve their goals, and although it's easier said than done, the good news is that they can all be worked on and overcome.
What reasons are stopping you from achieving your goals? Share in the comments below.