Have you ever run out of energy after you start reaching for a goal? When you started out, you were motivated. But distractions popped up. Your consistency dropped off. You had other goals, too, and they took more time and energy than you initially expected. And before you knew it, you felt too scattered to even know what next step to take. So you didn’t take any step.
I’ve been there. Being the optimist that I am, I often think I can accomplish more than I can – including the number of goals and the time frame in which I think I can get them done. The New Year and bursts of motivation can lead you to set too many goals, not realizing that doing so may just sabotage your ability to reach any of them.
And sometimes, the problem isn’t setting too many goals, but not recharging and celebrating between goals.
This isn’t just my anecdotal observation. Researchers call it goal fatigue. Your emotional and personal resources get depleted on your journey to the finish line of your goal. The discipline and mental energy necessary for you to reach a goal are finite, even if your ambition is not.
When you set too many goals or have too much going on at once, your finite energy is spread thin rather than concentrated on one or two efforts. But even when you only have one goal, you deplete your personal reserve reaching it. And that must be replenished before you jump into the next goal. Otherwise, you begin your next journey with a depleted amount of energy available to help you reach the goal.
So, narrow your efforts. I know it’s hard. You want to reach all of your goals as quickly as possible! But be strategic about it. Nurture and replenish your energy. Embrace the process. You’ll get their faster and with more joy.
Leave your comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
