How many times have you set your goals and objectives all excited, to end up leaving soon after, feeling guilty, and thinking that you have no will and that you are unable to do what you set out to do? Although it is something very frequent that happens to all of us, the reality is that you do not have any problem, and you are perfectly capable of finishing what you set out to do. The problem is not you but the methods you use, specifically these are some of the reasons that make it difficult for you to achieve some of your objectives and goals:
1. It is not what you really want. When you propose something that you don't really want to do, either because you think you should do it or because other people expect it, it is normal that you find neither time nor motivation, after all it is not what you want. So it is important that you are the one who wants to achieve it, that it is important to you. So every time you set a goal, ask yourself if you really want to do it and what is the reason, the reason why you want it to succeed. Having a reason that seems important to you and that excites you is what will motivate you the most.
2. This is not the right time for you. In these times, when you have to do everything and the sooner the better, we forget that you cannot do and have everything at the same time; And that may be one of the reasons why you don't get what you want. Consider, based on your current circumstances and priorities, whether this is the right time to carry out your goals. There are certain situations that are particularly stressful and require a large part of your time, in those moments it is better to wait a bit to achieve some of your goals. As I mentioned in last week's article you don't have to do everything right now, there are things that can wait. Perhaps now is not the best time for what you have proposed, perhaps it would be a stress that in a few months or years it will not. So think, does it make sense that you do it now? If you don't have it,forget about it until later. Of course, do not use this as an excuse to postpone things…
3. Your goals are poorly defined. For you to be more likely to achieve your objectives or goals these have to be:
- Specific. What, when, how and where. "Getting more exercise" is not a specific goal. The alternative could be "do 30 minutes of yoga three days a week." Realistic. Proposing to run a marathon when you have not exercised in your life would not be realistic, proposing to "run on Mondays for 40 minutes" could be. Feasible. Proposing to earn a million euros in six months when you have just started your business, does not seem very feasible (yes, if you see yourself capable, go for it). The ideal is to divide these large objectives into smaller ones that are feasible, and thus, little by little you will achieve the goal that you have set for yourself. You have to know when you have achieved your goal. "Earn more money" is a bad example of measurable, the alternative would be "earn 1500 euros" for example. With a time limit.Setting a deadline will make you focus and work harder to achieve your goal. Thus, following the previous example, you can substitute "earn 1500 euros" for "earn 1500 euros in three weeks".
4. You focus on the result, not the process. Don't wait to celebrate your achievements when you reach the end, reward your attitude, your effort, your progress, not the result. What matters is what you are striving for. So at every step, recognize how well you are doing and reward yourself from time to time. This will keep you motivated throughout the process.
5. You underestimate the time and energy you will need. We normally underestimate the time and energy that an activity will require because we do not take into account possible unforeseen events, interruptions and setbacks. The result is that you don't finish when you had planned, you get overwhelmed, you feel inefficient and you leave, unmotivated. Next time, calculate more time than you think it will take.
6. You are too demanding. Commit to yourself and don't make excuses, but be flexible, if you have to modify your goal nothing happens. The only thing they can do is make you feel frustrated and angry when things don't go the way you want, and since it's very likely that they never will, the best thing you can do is be flexible and adapt to unforeseen events. That you have proposed to finish the report on Thursday and you do it on Friday, nothing happens what matters is that you have done it. That you set out to exercise three days a week and you have done it two days, it would be worse to have stayed on the sofa… Be flexible.
