Why Traditional Goal Setting Doesn't Work

So how do you change it?

Every January millions and millions of people decide to start better and healthier life. We plan to change so many things and set so many goals. "I will exercise at least three times a week", "I will spend more time with my family", "I will find a better job", "I will stop smoking" the list goes on and on.

Now if you know anything about goal setting, you'll know that the first thing you have to do is to write down your goals on a piece of paper. Then you have to decide step-by-step how you are going to achieve those goals and form a plan of action as detailed as possible. All you have to do just follow the plan.

That's a great theory, which hardly happens in reality. In reality your enthusiasm and concentration lasts a couple of weeks and than everyday routine gets to you. You skip an exercise here, get frustrated and smoke a cigarette there, or start jumping from one goal to another and at the end of the year nothing ever gets done or achieved.

Why this theory alone doesn't work.

1. We often have so many goals it is hard to know where to start
   and how to proceed
2. We continually jump at different goals and as a result nothing
   gets done
3. It is hard to remember all the goals
4. Enthusiasm and excitement wears off
5. We don't have enough time 
6. We don't have enough will power to follow through

Due to all these reasons you need a very strong motivator. Something that will pull, push or drag you forward. There is only one thing powerful enough to do that and it's a VISION.

You'll still have to write all of your goals down. Then take that piece of paper and envision yourself after achieving all these goals. In order to succeed you have to become a person capable of succeeding, you have to start thinking like that person, act like that person.

Make yourself truly believe that you are looking into your future through the crystal ball. Remember every little detail - expression on your friends faces, proud look in you parents eyes. Feel the warm breeze on your face, smell the salty air of the ocean, imagine your new house on the beach.

You need to create a vision so powerful, so desirable, so compelling that it draws all your energy and motivation to it. It has to become an obsession. You have to feel something that a person finding an oasis in the middle of the desert would feel. Absolute excitement and complete determination. Then any goal becomes possible.