Hello, and welcome to the Leadership Done Right Podcast, Episode 31: 10 Reasons Goals Fail And 5 Steps to Make Goals Successful.

First, I want to wish each of you a very happy New Year! 2018 is going to be the best year yet!

With the new year upon us, now is the best time to set and/or refresh your goals, but regardless of when you listen to this episode it is always a good time to set and work towards completing your goals.

In last week’s episode, I talked about setting goals using SMART goals. I also talked about creating a plan and 5 Keys to creating an effective plan. In this episode, I am going to discuss 10 reasons why people fail to complete their goals and 5 steps to ensure your goals are successful.

10 Reasons People Fail To Complete their Goals

Have you ever been discouraged when working on a goal? Have you ever failed to complete a goal? Or, have you started working on a goal and lost your way? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. Many people lose their way on goals. In fact, here’s10 reasons why people fail to complete their goals.

1. Not a Strong Enough Why

People fail to complete their goals when they don’t have a strong enough WHY. When you set a goal, it must have a strong motivating WHY. Too often people set a goal because it sounds cool or fun, but they don’t have a reason why it is important. Michael Hyatt often says, “When you lose your WHY, you lose your way!” It is very easy for a goal to fall apart or be forgotten when you forget your WHY.

The WHY must be strong enough to motivate you through good times and bad. And, when you are busy and times are challenging. If the WHY will not keep you motivated, then don’t set the goal. Without a strong WHY, the goal will likely fail, which will lead to frustration and discouragement.

2. No Commitment

Many people begin goals with great intentions, but their commitment and progress quickly fades. How many of us have set a New Year’s resolution to wake up early and go to the gym just to quit a few weeks in when we realize the warm bed is much more inviting than the cold gym? That happens because we are not truly committed to the goal.

To be successful, we must be committed to our goals. Often goals seem simple or easy in the beginning, but as you get into them they are challenging and more complex than you thought. When that increased difficulty becomes visible, a high level of commitment is essential to complete the goal.

3. Lack of Direction

A strong WHY and a high level of commitment is not a guaranteed formula for success. Goals can still fail because of a lack of direction. When the pathway is unclear, it is easy to take a hiatus until it becomes clear again. That often leads to the goal being forgotten. As you work on the goal, plan time to clarify your direction as you reach hard times in the goal.

4. Goals Are Not Clear

An example would be to set the goal to “make the organization better this year.” What does that mean? Are you wanting to improve employee morale, increase profit, grow the company, or do something completely different? That goal is not clear. Each person can interpret the goal differently. For goals to be successful, they must be clear, easy to understand and follow. [Read more…] about Podcast Episode #31 – 10 Reasons Goals Fail And 5 Steps To Make Goals Successful