Is there a goal you’ve set, but haven’t really made much progress on lately? If you’re like many people, the answer is yes. Whether it’s a New Year’s resolution you set and forgot about or a dream that just feels too hard to hold on to, it can be tempting to give up at times. Consider the goal that eludes you right now and ask yourself these five questions:
1. Do you need to break it into smaller, more bite-sized action steps?
If you force too many goals at once, you set yourself up for failure. If this is the case, all you need to do is break the goal into smaller pieces, and perhaps give yourself a more palatable timeline.
2. What is the biggest obstacle to your progress?
If your goal is to eat healthier, but your attempts to stay on track are sabotaged by the fact that you have to eat on the run and find yourself grabbing fast food every day for lunch, you’ve got a problem. Identify the obstacles that are impeding your progress.
3. What can you do to break through that obstacle?
Next, address every obstacle by brainstorming for a workable solution. That means it needs to be a solution you will actually use. Be honest with yourself about what you need. If you struggle to come up with solutions, ask someone who has already conquered the challenge you face.
4. Are you pursuing the wrong goal?
Sometimes being stuck is a way for your authentic self to put its foot down. If you can’t seem to get unstuck, ask yourself, “Why is this goal so important to me? What’s the purpose?” Is there another goal (perhaps even a similar goal) that resonates with you more? Choose goals aligned with your values and true priorities.
5. Are you holding on to the wrong goal just to prove you’re not a quitter?
Don’t fall into the trap of sticking with something that’s not authentic or not working for you simply because you don’t want to quit. Instead of thinking of it as quitting, think of it as making room for the right goal—the one you will be far more likely to achieve.
