Avoiding Resolution Failure

“A goal is a dream with a deadline,” Napoleon Hill

Last week we talked about New Year’s Resolutions and simple ways to keep them. This week let’s talk about why we fail and how to avoid the cycle of failure when setting goals this year. Setting a goal or resolution is only part of the process. Are you a dreamer that fails to follow through? If so, read on to find out why we fail at our resolutions so often and how to avoid the cycle of failure this year and realize your goals.

Reasons For Resolution Failure

1.  Excuses. One of the main reasons people fail to reach their goals is they fall into the trap of making excuses. One of my favorites is “I don’t have time.” Spend some time thinking about what your excuses are and think about what you can do to arm yourself against them. We all have time to work on our goals. Think of how much time we waste with electronics or TV or just being lazy. If your goal is valuable enough to you, you’ll find the time to work on it. If necessary, make a regular, unbreakable appointment with yourself.
2. Fear. Are you allowing fear to hold you back? Sometimes we fear failure so much we don’t even start. We have gotten used to things not working out for us and often this stops us from taking that first step. We lose our self-confidence and find excuses not to work on our goals. If this is you, you need to learn positive self-talk and realize you are far more capable than you’ve let yourself believe. For motivation, grab your BrainTap headset and the BrainTap App for some motivating creative visualization sessions. Soon, your fear will be a thing of the past.
3. We don’t know “why.” When you’re working on your goals, it’s very important to understand and know your why. Why do you want to achieve this goal? Is it for you or someone else? Are you doing it because you think you have to or because you want to? When you set goals for the wrong reasons you end up chasing things you don’t really want and your commitment wanes quickly. Don’t waste time or energy on what you don’t want and focus on goals that resonate with you.
4. Failing to Plan. If you fail to plan you plan to fail. A plan is integral to any success in life. You need to know where Point A and B are and how you intend to get there. What actions do you need to take? Write these steps down and refer to them often. Having a plan gives you direction and allows you to prioritize and stay on track. 
5. Not being committed. Sometimes we set a goal but we’re not willing to do what it takes to reach that goal. Check your commitment level before embarking on a goal. If you’re not all in, why are you wasting your time? Lack of commitment also means that when things get tough you’re more likely to quit instead of persevering. 
6. Not having a deadline. As Napoleon Hill said above, without a deadline a goal is just a dream. Setting a deadline forces you to become disciplined and creates a sense of urgency to keep you working towards your goal. It is important, however, to set a realistic deadline. Change takes time, especially if you want it to be permanent. Setting a deadline of two months to lose 100 pounds is not only unrealistic, it’s unhealthy. Make your deadlines realistic and keep your goals focused on improving your life, health and future and you can’t go wrong. 
7. Stay Positive. Focus on what you’re gaining, not what you might be giving up. If your goal is too much of a chore or feels like a second job, it might be time to reevaluate how you’re looking at things. Reframe your thoughts in a positive direction. The creative visualization sessions in your BrainTap App are a great tool to help you do this. You’ll learn to focus on goals in a positive, healthy way that makes achieving them not only easy but relaxing and fun!

New Year’s resolutions are based on the hope that whatever we didn’t like about last year will be better this year. Instead of focusing on that, focus on what you want to do to make your life better permanently in the future. How will your life improve overall? What one small thing can you do to get there? Refocusing your thinking will keep resolution failure a thing of the past. 

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