Stop setting goals that fail: do this instead
By Tommy Trout
Kiss broken intentions goodbye with these five game-changing goal-setting tips.
You might think this article on goal-setting is a little late – January, the month we usually reflect and plan for the year ahead, is long gone. But goals and resolutions set on any day other than January 1 are just as meaningful.
Chances are, you’ve made a New Year’s resolution you didn’t keep, or set a goal that becomes a distant memory – we all have. In fact, at this point, it’s practically a trope.
But through my research (and a bit of personal experience), I’ve identified the biggest mistakes people make when setting—and more importantly, sticking to—new goals. So, here are five key tips to help you push past the hurdles and become a goal-scoring machine.
- Focus less on outcomes and more on inputs. So, let’s say you want to lose 20kg of body fat by the end of the year. That’s an outcome but not one you can directly influence. Weight loss is a measurement, the result of diet, lifestyle and activity. So, the emphasis needs to be on those inputs. If you changed your goal to eating healthier, exercising most days and being more active, do you think it’s likely you’ll lose weight? Focus on things you can do, not on the outcomes of those things.
- Get realistic. I’m not a Tony Robbins guy but I do love a quote of his – “people overestimate what they can achieve in 1 year and underestimate what they can achieve in 5 years”. As a former personal trainer, I saw countless fitness ads guaranteeing ‘abs in 6 weeks’ which is either impossible or deeply unpleasant and unsustainable. Why the rush? If you’re setting big goals, that’s great, just make sure you have ample time for life so you’re not cramming. Another great quote to make this point is from Bruce Lee “long term consistency trumps short term intensity”.
- Milestones mark the way! The key to achieving goals is to have wins along the way. The brain likes winning and achieving goals, and achievement is a positive cycle, once you start scoring goals you tend to keep going. This is why including milestones or mini goals along the way can help keep you on the path.
- Failure is part of the process. Failing sucks and nobody likes to experience it, and for many it can perpetuate negative self-beliefs and limiting thoughts. However, I’m here to say that failure is pretty much inevitable when tackling big audacious goals. Name anyone who had a perfect road to success in anything. So, what do you do when you fail? You breathe and you don’t make it personal. Forgot to work out today and now the weekly routine is ruined? It happens. Identify what went wrong, how to avoid it in the future, forgive yourself and get back on track tomorrow.
- Accountability is your mate. There’s two parts to this. 1. Find ways to measure progress towards your goal and measure it consistently. Not when you think it’ll be a good result, but every day/week/whenever is appropriate. 2. Let certain people know about your journey so they can hold you accountable. It might be your partner, colleagues, whatever, but surrounding yourself with people who want to see you succeed can help you get through difficult times. It can also be galvanising to not want to fail in front of them either.
If I could offer any advice it would be this. I learnt the hard way to NOT chase a life I love. Because we often love things that are bad for us, junk food, alcohol, sleeping in, toxic relationships, etc.
Instead, focus on chasing a life that loves you back. You may not love eating vegetables or exercising, but those things love you. You deserve to be loved by your routine and goals as much as by the people around you. I believe in you. Good luck!
Tommy Trout, Inclusive-AF inclusive-af.com
