Its February and I’m pretty sure, most of you, have failed in progressing towards the goals you set on New Years Eve or the 1st of January. People all around the world posted proudly to their social media handles the goals they set for the upcoming 12 months yet fell short within hours, days or weeks. Sorry, truth hurts.
But we don’t set out to fail on the goals we set, we all strive to achieve them right?
We set the goals because they seem important, at the time.
There are however two key factors that will stall your progress, if allowed.
1. Not setting the right kind of goals
The true purpose of a goal is not to get but to grow and once you wrap your head around this, achieving your goals will become easier.
There are three types of goals. The “A” type goals are activities that were once “C” type goals but have now become almost second nature. Think – brushing your teeth, learning how to walk or learning to drive – all seemed unachieveable at the time, so far fetched you’d scoff at the idea but once achieved it becomes second nature. There is no growth in “A” type goals.
“B” type goals are the goals that you think you can do, that you wouldn’t mind doing, but all becomes a little too hard. Similar to someone saying they’ll start their own consultancy – when the kids finish school or they’ll go on that trip to Paris – when they finish work. “B” type goals are goals that can be achieved but you’re kinda “meh” about the thought. No drive, no focus. The most common “B” type goal that people set at the start of the year is to “get healthy” or “lose weight”. You know you COULD do it but it’s all just a little too hard. Lets be honest. (FYI if you’re always saying you want to lose weight, you may lose it but you’ll find it again. Instead, try repeating to yourself “I release unwanted weight easily”).
And then there are “C” type goals. These are your wildest dreams, your biggest fantasies and come from deep within your imagination. These goals are the ones that keep you awake at night and have you bouncing out of bed in the morning. They’re the goals that you have no problem or hesitation in telling your friends no matter how crazy they might sound. You feel this goal with every bone of your body. You live from the end goal already achieved. “C” type goals force you to stretch. They force you to fly with the eagles instead of getting caught up with the chickens with their heads down pecking at the ground. Reverting back to the “get health” scenario, to move this to a “C” type goal make it solid and lock it in with a date.
I’m so happy and grateful now that its 30 June 2023 and I am easily running 10km in 22mins.
2. Fear of Success
Fear of success is the concern that once we achieve something new, we won’t be able to sustain it or may suffer because of it. A lot of the time we’re not even aware that it’s there. That’s because when we focus on a goal, we talk up the positive outcomes of achieving the goal. We talk to our friends and closest confidants about what life will look like once we reach the penultimate. We don’t, however, share openly with others what could happen (in a negative way) when we get to that next level.
Fear of success is not necessarily the fear of reaching the specific goal, sometimes it’s simply the fear of the possible change or consequences of success. How will friends react to you reaching those biggest highs of high? How will your family react? It is an anticipation of how others — and oneself — will respond to the triumph. What will life look like once you achieve success – even the thought of it might scare you.
The concern is that achieving success comes at some sort of “cost”.
6 ways fear of success can show up in our lives
Avoidance – You will] avoid being the centre of attention at all costs. Praise is also not overly welcome.
Procrastination – You will delay starting and/or completing a project and in the process may miss the opportunity altogether, or the end result isn’t as good as it could have been. “Procrastination is the thief of time”
Perfectionism – By holding the bar high, you could be also holding an impossible standard of perfection, the outcome will inevitably be disappointing.
Quitting – You will find an excuse to quit just before the goal is in sight, over and over again.
Self-sabotage – You might set your own hurdles or obstacles in order to stay in your comfort zone.
My advice to you. Read and re-read the above. It may strike a nerve but it also may catapult you into taking the right kind of action. With the right coaching and mentoring under your belt you will overcome the factors that have prevented you from succeeding in the past.
This year, you will accomplish things above the ordinary. You will have accomplished those wild dream and outlandish goals that seemed so crazy when you first started thinking about it.
Are you ready? Let’s do it. Book a call now and let’s get you turning your Thinking Into Results.
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