5 Reasons You Haven't Achieve Your Goals

The 5 most common reasons people don't follow through on their goals:

1. You rely on motivation instead of systems.

Motivation comes and goes.Consistent habits and routines are what actually move you forward. Building habits that turn into daily systems that are done automatically instead of relying on motivation is where the magic happens. Yes, it can take time and patience until it becomes a 'habit' (the 21-days to a habit is a myth, btw), but once it's a habit, it doesn't require motivation, thought, decision, etc. It just happens automatically. Do you think through the actions of washing your hair and brushing your teeth? Does it take motivation? Most days, no (although we all have those times it sounds exhausting).

Regarding the '21-day-habit' myth - some guy just threw that number out there without any research or any reasons to back it up, but the truth is, it can take far more time to become a habit. How often are you doing it? Daily? Multiple times a day? Once a week? Is it something super complex or fairly simple? There are lots of factors that play a role into how long it will take to become a habit, so if you've started a routine and it doesn't yet feel like a habit at 21-days, don't give up! It will happen in time!

Did you know 1% better every day will lead to a 3,778% improvement at the end of ONE year? The power of compounding, folks! Don't underestimate the small, consistent action.

2. Your goals are too vague.

Goals like “be healthier” or “be more confident” lack clear action steps. You need to identify what these mean in concrete terms.

Drink 80 oz of water a day? Eat 4 servings of vegetables a day? Work out 150 minutes a week? Be able to speak in front of a group of 25 people?

How are you measuring these items? Do you have a water tracker, or a water bottle that automatically logs it in an app as you drink water? (Yes, they exist. I used to use Hidrate Spark - it lights up to remind you to drink and tracks as you drink!) Do you have a habit tracker to confirm how many servings of vegetables or how many minutes of exercise you've gotten this week? Find a way that doesn't stress you out and makes it easy to track so you can watch your progress over time.

Clarity & measurability are important for success.

3. Fear of failure or judgment.
Sometimes you stop before they start because you’re afraid of doing it imperfectly.

Progress is progress. Don't discount that!

You're human, shit's going to happen, and it won't be perfect.

Pick yourself up and keep going. I promise people are secretly jealous and cheering you on, no matter how messy it looks from the outside. It might feel clunky or imperfect but slow progress is still progress.

4. They expect quick results.
Real change takes time, and when results aren’t immediate, it's easy to lose momentum. Break your BHAG (big hairy audacious goals) down into smaller chunks so you can celebrate your progress along the way.

Be realistic. Losing 20 pounds in a month is a very large goal that most people would have a very hard time achieving. It's not realistic. For most people, shooting for 1-2 pounds a week would be reasonable. If you want to lose (for easy numbers), 24 pounds this year - that's 2 pounds a month. Break it down in that way so you can celebrate your success along the way. What if you lost 5 pounds in a month instead of 2?!

Set rewards that align with your goals so you have a planned way to celebrate. If your goal is weight loss, don't celebrate by buying and eating a pint of ice cream, but a massage would make sense! If you have a money-saving goal, eating ice cream might make sense. Align it with what you're aiming for and make sure it's not derailing your progress.

Be realistic and enjoy the journey - celebrate the small successes along the way!

5. They try to change everything at once.
Too many changes can feel overwhelming and lead to burnout.

When people get temporarily motivated to become healthier, they often try to do a full lifestyle overhaul which is hard to maintain long-term, and leads to rebounding and burnout. Start small. Replace a sweet treat with a healthier alternative. Add one serving of vegetables to your day for the first couple of weeks. Once that feels easy enough, add 20 ounces of water. Take it one step at a time, or a couple of small steps.

If you go from sitting on the couch all day eating delivery Taco Bell and drinking a 12-pack every night to trying to run an hour a day and eating only whole foods, it's highly unlikely any of these new healthier alternatives are going to last.

Small steps are sustainable and will lead to lasting results.

It might not feel like it initially but these small steps truly add up and will get you to your goal in a manageable way.