Goals seem to be a very polarizing topic. Most people either love them or hate them. There are a few people that fall in the middle, but not very many from my experience.

What is it that causes so many people to recoil when they hear that word? While there are some who, by their very nature, are not attracted to goals (they tend to like “problem-solving” instead), many people who I have worked with, who are not big fans of goals, have that attitude because their track record in accomplishing them is so disappointing.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Regardless of how you are wired, or your opinion about the merit of goal-setting, you can be more successful and achieve your goals.

So, what are the biggest stumbling blocks? I would like to show you five that can easily be overcome, so you can get on the right track.

THE BUMPS IN THE ROADS

1. Your goals aren’t smart. Don’t be offended. I am not insulting your intelligence. SMART is an acronym. It stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-specific. Let me share two quick points with you.

First, most people don’t achieve their goals because they are too ambiguous. They lack the specificity needed to begin the journey toward success. As Zig Zieglar was famous for saying, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” Saying you want to be a better leader or that you want to get more healthy is aiming at nothing.

Momentum, created by specificity, is essential in achieving goals.

Second, people often haven’t painted a picture of what success looks like. They haven’t defined how they will “measure” success. How will you know when you have crossed the finish line?

Measurability is key in your ability to assess progress and ultimately know that you have reached your destination. This is important in maintaining momentum. For example, in 2015 I set out to read at least one book per month. At the end of each month I had a clear view as to whether or not I was on track. Every month I hit my goal I felt a sense of accomplishment and a clearer sense that I was going to hit my goal. That was very encouraging.

The other components of SMART are important, but these first two are paramount.

2. You haven’t identified what is important about it to you. Motivation is another essential element in regularly and consistently achieving goals. When you identify what is important about your goal to you, you are able to tap into both your intellectual motivations as well as your emotional motivations.

Understanding and connecting with your key motivations helps you to stay the course. Your motivations act like anchors that allow you to hold fast even in the midst of the inevitable storms.

3. You do not write your goals down. This is a simple, but powerful truth. According to Dr. Gail Matthews, psychology professor at Dominican University in California, you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down.

You have hundreds, if not thousands, of thoughts that are rattling around in your head every day. But, when you write something down as a commitment, there is something transformative that kicks in. It’s like your thoughts have been given life.

Writing down your goals also gives you a chance to go through the iterations necessary to land on what you are ultimately going to achieve. This produces another essential component – clarity.

4. You are not regularly and consistently reviewing your goals. As the year unfolds the amount of new information, demands, and interests that come your way is staggering. Therefore, it is important to maintain visibility of what is most important or it will get lost in the flood.

I review my goals every morning. It takes me five minutes and it is a daily reminder of what I have decided is most important.

5. You are not sharing your goals with a trusted individual. One other important piece is finding an accountability partner. There are two important pieces in finding the right partner. They must be someone you trust implicitly and they must be someone who will give you direct, honest feedback, both positive and corrective in nature.

This outside force that you intentionally and willingly involve in your life makes an enormous impact.

I came across some stats years ago made this clear. If you hear an idea you are only 10% likely to follow through on it. If you consciously decide to adopt an idea you are only 25% likely to follow through on it.

However, if you commit to someone else that you will do it, you are 65% likely to do it. And, if you set an accountability appointment with that person to review your progress, you are 95% likely to follow through. That makes a huge difference, and it is easy to do.

THE BOTTOM LINE

So, what you need to substantially increase your success and achieve your goals is: Momentum, Motivation, Clarity, Visibility and Accountability.

The ball is in your court.

Question: What is one of your goals for 2021? Share your answer in the Comment section.

Seize the day!