According to a recent study from the University at Scranton, only 8% of Americans accomplish their New Year’s resolution goals. 92% fail. Considering that 45% of Americans (about 144 million people) set New Year’s resolution goals, this study is telling us that 132 million Americans fail at accomplishing their goal each year.
Over the years, I have taught hundreds of people to achieve hundreds of goals. There are many reasons why 92% fail to achieve them, but of the many goal killers, I consistently see five.
Goal Killer #1 - Going Too Big, Too Soon
People want to start off the year with a bang! What better way to do it than to try to achieve what Jim Collins coined in the book Built to Last, a “BHAG”, a Big Hairy Audacious Goal? It makes sense: People are excited about the new year, starting fresh, beginning again. Many think, “This year is going to be different, so let’s go big or go home!” Unfortunately, most people end up going home.
Don’t start with a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. You need to learn to walk before you run. My suggestion is to first create the habit of learning how to execute and, more importantly, finish goals. The best way to create this habit is to start small with a “TCEG”, a Tiny, Clean-Shaven, Easy Goal. Then continue to build up to the BHAG.
Goal Killer #2 - Lack of Accountability
Researcher Catherine Metzgar from the University of Illinois conducted a weight-loss study that suggested being accountable to others was the critical factor in their success. The 18-week weight loss program reduced food consumption by 500 calories per day, and all 23 women lost weight, but what the study also showed was that the majority of women who kept the weight off a year and a half later were the ones that continued to have support from a friend who had the same goal or someone who continued to be an accountability coach.
Sharing the goal with another person and asking that person to be an accountability coach is extremely important to achieving goals. If I had a nickel for every time one of my students completed their goal action items right before our next meeting, I’d be a millionaire. Just knowing that I was going to be checking how they were doing and, as accountability coach, would call them out if they didn’t complete the action items they promised to before our next meeting, was very strong incentive for my students to continue progressing with their goal. My suggestion, find an accountability coach. If you want to learn how to find one, refer back to Episode #12 - Goal Clarity.
Goal Killer #3 - You’re Really Not That Passionate about Achieving the Goal
As I continued to help teach student how to achieve their goals, I began to see a trend. Many of the individuals who would fail at achieving their goal typically were working on a goal that wasn’t originated by them. For example, sometimes, it was a goal created by their boss or someone in their circle of influence (like a spouse) who “thought it would be a good idea.” So basically, the goal didn’t mean much to them, and they certainly were not passionate about it.
In order to compensate for this trend I was seeing, using a 1 - 10 scale (1 being “not at all” and 10 being “very”) I added a question to the goal-setting template -- “How passionate are you about completing this goal?” The more passionate you are about completing the goal, the greater the chance you will do so. What I have learned from my students is if it’s a 7 or less, there’s a very good chance that goal will never get completed. My suggestion is for you to be honest with yourself and rank your passion for completing the goal before you get started.
Goal Killer #4 - It’s Not Written Down
Research conducted by Gail Matthews at the Dominican University of California shows that people who wrote down their goal were on average 33% more successful in accomplishing their goal than those who did not write them down. By writing the goal down, it helps to clarify what it is you’re trying to accomplish. It also makes it easier to share with your accountability coach. I suggest you not only write it down but write it in the past tense as if you already completed it. Begin to train your brain that it is possible and it will happen.
Goal Killer #5 - Lack of Time
This one is the worst of them all. The serial goal killer -- lack of time. Well over half of the students I work with have this problem. If you don’t have available time, there is no way you are going to achieve a new goal. It’s just not possible. When I discover they don’t have the time, we go through a simple exercise to find out where all their time is spent and then set a goal to help them create more. We start with filling out an Energy Drain List. I ask the student to take two weeks and list all of the activities they consider energy-draining. I do that because if the task is energy-draining, it tends to take far longer to complete and they tend to be activities the student doesn’t like performing in the first place. By setting a goal to decrease the energy drain list by finding ways to take those activities off of it, the student “creates” time to begin working on goals that matter.
Now I want you to take a minute and think about that one big New Year’s resolution goal that you’re passionate about but, for one reason or another, continue to fail at achieving. We all have one. The one that really matters to you. The one that you started countless times but can’t finish. The one that would make a significant, positive impact on you life.
Now think about what that goal is worth to you. Hundreds of dollars? Thousands? Maybe it’s priceless because it improves something other than your standard of living. Perhaps it increases your happiness or improves your health or your relationship with a friend or family member. Whatever that goal is, I know, with the proper learning, you can achieve it, and I want to help you. One of the goals I am most passionate about is helping you achieve the goal that matter most to you. There’s nothing that excites me more than that.
I am offering you the opportunity to enroll in one of my two goal classes. One is on Tuesday evenings and the other is on Saturday mornings. In this eight-week goal class I will take you through the steps of properly writing and setting your goal, and with a class of nine other students, you will have plenty of accountability to ensure you will achieve your goal and learn the system to achieve every goal you set.
If you want to sign up or are interested in learning more, go to my website where I set up a special page -- www.youretheexpertnow.com or send me an email at Tony@youretheexpertnow.com.
I believe you can achieve any goal you set your mind to, so break the habit of being part of that 92% who fail to complete their New Year’s resolutions. Become part of the 8%. Avoid the goal killers and make 2016 the year you changed your life!
I hope you have a great day!