Did you miss one of your goals last season?
There are several reasons you may not have reached a goal… or that you continue to miss a goal you set repeatedly.
Goal failure is a symptom, not a cause.
As your primary care strategist, I’m here to diagnose the real reason.
You set the wrong goal.
If you set the wrong goal, you give yourself permission to ignore it because it’s not actually urgent or it doesn’t motivate you.
Your goal may also be the wrong size: too big or too small. You need help to Goldilocks that goal and make it the right size: big enough that you’re excited to stretch, but small enough that it’s achievable.
Another factor is timing: is this truly the right goal for right now? Doing things at the right time, in the right order, is pivotal for goal achievement.
Your goal wasn’t based in reality.
There are two types of reality: internal and external.
External reality includes the state of the world, how other people operate, and market conditions. If your goal didn’t factor in that your team was incapable of executing on your mission, that would be an example of ignoring reality. If you didn’t factor in the uncertainty and energy of the pandemic, that’s another example.
Internal reality includes the way you are; how you operate. If you’re an introvert but set a goal to network every week, this may not be realistic. Likewise, if you’re motivated by creativity but made money your #1 goal, it’s time to get creative in how you frame it.
You were disconnected from the motivation… or the consequences.
What will happen if the goal doesn’t get achieved? If the answer is “Nothing, really,” then you may not have effective motivation.
Being clear about the benefits of working toward and achieving your goal should be a terrific motivator.
But sometimes you need a kick in the ass, and that can come from looking the potential consequences of failure straight in the eye and saying, “Oh hell no!”
You didn’t have an accountability structure.
This is the single most crucial reason, and it holds the solution for reaching all your goals now and in the future. When you have an effective accountability framework, you have an opportunity to fix any of the above issues quickly and adapt your game plan accordingly.
Once more for the people in the back:
Accountability is the single most crucial factor for achieving your goals; it’s the solution for reaching all your goals now and in the future.
Last week at Goal Brunch, I introduced the idea of The Accountability Ladder: 12 steps of increasing levels of accountability that you can take toward your goal.
If you missed a goal in the past, start with accountability as a solution. Where do you need increased accountability for your goal?
If your goal really, truly matters to you, what are you willing to do to make it happen?
