We can all relate to times we decide we want to achieve something, stop a behavior, or learn a new one, only to discover weeks later that we have made no progress towards what we want. Chances are, even though we set our intention, we did not make our intention into a goal. The following describes some of the common traps people fall in when trying to create a change in their life.
Wishing for Change
While wishing has its place, wishing alone won’t get you want you want. Wishing is a good place to start as it can temporarily relieves you from a trying situation, build anticipation, help you to see new possibilities, and even lay the ground work for setting goals. However, if you spend all your time wishing you likely won’t get what you want.
In fact, if all you do is wish for things but never take action then part of you will think you don’t really want what you are wishing for. This will drain you of your energy until the thought of what you want makes you tired instead of motivated.
Meaningless Gesture
There are actions that often accompany wishing that also will not move you towards your goal. It is not uncommon for people to talk about what they want. While there is nothing wrong with this, if it is all you do then you likely won’t make any progress towards your goal.
There are situations where making a goal will likely not be effective. For example, if you make a goal just to show off or to challenge another person you likely won’t have the motivation to follow through. On the other hand, competition can help motivate you towards your goal as long as you do it for the right reasons.
Even if you follow the goal setting process described on this website and write down your goals and create a plan for achieving them, you may still not achieve them. If you follow the goal setting process then forget about, not review your goals regularly, or you don’t take action, then you will likely not achieve what you want.
Related Pages
Goal Setting - MisconceptionsThree Characteristics of Goals
Notes On Goal Setting
Motivation towards your Goals
Choosing Goals
Goal Setting Process