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You’re Terrible at Achieving Goals (And Why That’s Okay)

December 28, 2017 By The Video Guy Leave a comment

 

It’s a new year. 2018. You’re filled with new hope for new beginnings, ready to tackle a brand-new set of goals. Then suddenly, a brick wall.
You dust off and review your 2017 goals:

  • Lose 15 lbs.
    • Unfortunately, you gained five.
  • Read 12 books.
    • But you only made it to two.
  • Learn Spanish?
    • Man, you didn’t even attempt that one…

For most of us, our New Years Resolutions are wonderful pipe dreams that are never fully tackled or worse yet, never attempted. I am a terrible goal-maker. In fact, the majority of us are terrible goal-makers and that, my friends, is a good thing.
I’ve always been told that I will learn more from my mistakes than from my successes, that failure is the best teacher. It teaches us how to know our limits, how to grow and how to make better decisions. Failure was the one that taught that eating 12 ghost pepper wings for a free T-shirt isn’t a good idea. Failure was the one that taught to read the WHOLE recipe before baking cookies. And failure is the one that helps me understand why I didn’t achieve all my goals in 2017.
Why didn’t I achieve my goals? There’s always the list of excuses (family, work, life in general…), but really it boils down to choice. I chose to prioritize certain things in my life over my goals. It’s the reason why workaholics are often successful in life, but make lousy parents or why awesome parents tend to struggle to start that side business they’ve always wanted because taking care of a family is a full-time job.
Failing to meet my goals because of certain excuses can actually help me determine more reachable goals and can for you, too.

  • Want to finish those books but never find the time?
    • Audio books on your way to work is an excellent way of experiencing authors. Or download a book on your phone and you can take the book wherever you go.
  • Trying to lose 15 lbs. but there’s no time for exercise or you get tired of a certain routine?
    • Use past failures to understand your pattern and maybe even eliminate the goal of 15 lbs. altogether. Instead, try a more obtainable goal such as limiting yourself to 2000 calories a day where you don’t necessarily have to give up the certain foods you crave but eat in moderation. Or try not eating pasta for a month and see what happens.

The point is to find a method that works for you. Get to know yourself better and understand why you keep failing at the things you do. No artist paints a perfect circle. They keep correcting the curve of the circle stroke after stroke until it feels like a circle for them.
A sales guy or gal masters their craft at hooking a customer after months of frustrated hang-ups. And if something in life (or work) doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Don’t let the fear of the embarrassment of failure keep you stuck to what you think is right versus what you know is, even if it means failing.
Without failure, I will cease to improve. From the moment I was an infant and tried to stick a triangle into the circle hole to yesterday when I went to China Buffet instead of having a salad, I am improving as a person ever so slightly. And the sooner you realize this for yourself, for when you feel you’ve hit rock bottom, the quicker you will succeed at achieving your goals. Embrace failure. It’s the best gift our imperfect universe has ever given us.


The Video Guy had big goals for 2017 – and failed at pretty much all of them. Has he given up on setting goals for the new year? No, failing is great, and from his colossal failures, new, practical goals emerge for 2018. How have your failures led to your success? Join the conversation with Andrew below or email him directly.

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