Goal Setting and Goal Getting: 3 Traps to Avoid

The Only in Your Head Trap

No, this is not an "it's all in your head kind of thing."

What we too often do is merely think about our goals. We let them run around in our heads and think because we thought about it, we'll get there.

I don't think it works that way.

If you want to dramatically increase the chance of reaching your goals, write them down and keep them close. You want to have your written goals in a place where you will see them everyday.

To sum it up, the weakest ink is better than the strongest memory.

The Inconsistency Trap

For the first two to three weeks of the year, the gym to which I belong will be very crowded. Getting a parking place between 5 pm and 6:30 would be a joke.

Then, as always, the crowd will taper off. It's almost as if people believe all they have to do is exercise at the beginning of the year and that covers it.

This sounds really silly in this context, but it's how we behave in so many other situations as well.

In order to achieve our goals, we need consistent day to day behavior and choices over time.

The Slipping Trap

Once you set a goal and start working toward it, there is going to be some slippage. This is just human nature.

Another feature of human nature is that once we slip, we then slide into thinking the heck with it, I've messed up, so I might as well just give up.

There is a much better alternative. Instead of saying the heck with it and giving up when you slip, get back up. Learn from what happened, learn how to prevent future slips, and get back on course.

As the Japanese proverb tells us:

"Fall down seven times, get up eight."