The Number 1 reason people don't reach their goals

​I believe the number one reason why people don’t reach their goals is actually having a goal. What!!! You scream That doesn’t make sense. Just stay with me a minute and I will explain. As a Coach, I am a huge advocate of goal setting and dreaming big. I tell my clients feel yourself doing and being what it is you want. Imagine how your life will be different, imagine how you will be different. And without exception they all get excited and start writing out what they imagine life would be like when they have achieved their goal. I then get them to write down what they have to do to achieve this. They then put together a timeframe of when each thing needs to be done…..and for a few weeks everything goes really well, they are ticking of the to do list. Then a few things start to slip and before long the goal is forgotten buried under all this “action” stuff. The excitement has waned and it all gets too hard. Sound Familiar?
 
How do we stop this from happening? One sentence….. whatever you want is a journey not a destination.  Albert Einstein famously said, “the mind that created the problem can’t solve the problem”. Meaning the person, you are today can’t possibly fit into your vision of the future. So, what does that mean, simple it means you have to learn and adapt along the pathway to where you want to be. You have to “experience “the journey to recognise the destination. For goals to work, and they do work, you have to enjoy and celebrate the lessons along the way.
 
Take for example someone wanting to drop 10kg. They imagine themselves at their goal weight, wearing the clothes they want, getting lots of attention, feeling sexy and confident.
Along the way what are some of the changes in them they have to recognise and celebrate?

• By eating heathier not only are they losing weight but their skin is glowing, they have more energy. That’s worth acknowledging and celebrating.
• By exercising regularly, they are getting out in the outdoors, maybe meeting new people, feeling calmer. That’s making them happier (research show social interaction and getting outdoors increases serotonin and dopamine in the body both contribute to higher levels of happiness)

 
However, these both become a drag and are easy to throw in the to-hard basket if the focus is only on the end goal, it is to abstract. To succeed the focus has to be on keeping the excitement alive by celebrating the small subtle changes that is the journey,
 
Long distance trekking is exactly the same. The goal is to finish the trek and I see many blogs that are all about finishing the journey. But are they missing the point? What about the subtle changes along the way, what about all the “mini” experiences on track, what about the amazing starlight nights, what about all the crazies you meet, what about the way you have learnt to encourage yourself to be softer. These are all success points, all integral to achievement of your goal
 
So yes, goals are important to success in anything in life, and yes, they should be big bold hairy audacious and shitting my britches……… however don’t get so caught up in reaching the end that you rush the journey. A famous man once said stop and smell the roses. Well I say reward yourself daily.
 
Linger for that extra wine with a new-found friend, stay up all night and watch the stars.
You only walk this world once, walk it in gold lame sneaker, singing bohemian rhapsody at the top of your lungs walking beside the crazy man who sees leprechauns.   And when you reach your goal you will realise that it too was not a destination but the stepping to an even greater adventure.