Want 2020 to be your best year yet?
Of course you do.
So how are you going to make that happen?
If you’re like most people, around this time of year you set a whole bunch of goals. And you swear to yourself this is the year you’ll finally see them through.
I’ve got some bad news for you…
According to the University of Scranton, you probably won’t be achieving those goals. They did some research on goal setting. They found only 8% of people who set goals actually followed through and achieved them.
That means 92% of people who set goals fail.
Ninety. Two. Percent.
Why goal setting doesn’t work
The big reasons so many people fail to achieve their goals boil down to a few things. I see these over and over again in my coaching practice.
Your goal is too ambitious
Dreaming big is great and it’s not something I’m trying to discourage. But, there are practical limits to what can be achieved in a year. If your sales last year were $100,000, hitting your goal of $1 billion in sales this year isn’t going to happen. Set goals that are realistic.
You don’t actually care about achieving the goal
So many people set a goal for something because they think they should. Or because someone else told them it should be a goal. They don’t own it, so they aren’t invested in making it happen. Only set goals that are meaningful to you.
Your goal is too vague
If it’s hard to see exactly what the goal is, it will be hard to figure out how to make it happen. Or to figure out when you’ve reached it. So you never get started working toward it. Set goals that are clear and specific.
No one is holding you accountable
People have a way of focusing on the things other people are holding them accountable for. The casualty becomes the things they try to hold themselves accountable for. After all, you aren’t going to call yourself up and demand to know when you're going to finish that thing. So you work on the stuff other people are asking you about first. Then there’s nothing left for what matters to you. Find someone to keep you accountable to do the things you say you want to do.
You don’t know how to achieve the goal
So many people set a goal and stop there. Now they’re left with this thing to do and no plan to actually do it. One of the biggest sources of procrastination is not knowing what to do or how to do it. So, you avoid doing anything because you don’t know what you should be doing now to reach that goal in 12 months. Work out a specific plan of how you are going to achieve the goal you set.
How to change your approach to goal setting
I want to help you be in that 8% of people who do achieve their goals. So here is the number one thing you can do to start hitting your goals.
Stop focusing on your goals and start focusing on the gap.
What is the gap?
The gap is what lies between where you are today and where you will be when you reach your goal. When you focus on that gap, then you start to see what needs to be done to bridge it.
And that is where the magic of achieving your goals happens.
You see, most people set a goal and stop there. They assume some magic happens that moves them from where they are today to where they want to be. Like South Park’s underpants gnomes profit plan. These are the people who usually don’t achieve the goals they set.
You can make 2020 your best year yet by listing out the things you need to do to bridge the gap. Then put your focus on doing those things. If you identify what you need to do, and execute well, reaching your goal will be the natural outcome.
Need help figuring out what to do to bridge the gap? Figuring out how to do the things you need to do? We’re here to help.
If you are having trouble knowing exactly where your business should be going or what you need to make your journey successful, we can help!
Book a free 1-hour Breakthrough Consultation with us.