Ever been super pumped about setting your goals, only to see that enthusiasm fizzle out faster than you can say “New Year’s resolution”?
Of course you have.
We’ve all been there.
Whether it’s for New Year’s, birthdays, or the start of a fresh academic chapter, we’re always full of energy, confidence, and hope that this time, we’ll do it — THIS time we’ll achieve our goals.
But a couple of weeks (or sometimes just days) later, poof!
All that motivation, passion, and will-power has vanished into thin air. . .
Achieving Goals: The Stats
Most of us are in the habit of setting goals.
We usually want to achieve the same kinds of things and have some idea of what we need to do:
Exercise more, lose weight, ace exams, quit smoking. . . you name it.
But actually DOING it is a different matter!
The truth is, millions of different goals have been set millions of different times by millions of different people but we usually all end up with the same result: Nothing.
Because we give up.
Research from the University of Pennsylvania tells us that a mere 8% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions.
(The failure rate stats for other goals we set ourselves throughout life probably aren’t very different, either.)
But WHY? Why is it that so few of us actually achieve what we set out to do?
The reason is simple: Our brains like to take the easy route; in other words, they prefer sticking to familiar habits rather than trying something new.
It’s a constant battle between our will and that gray lump inside our head because our brain is designed to save it’s own energy, so it holds on to old habits (even the bad ones) rather than challenging itself to create new ones.
So, simply wanting to accomplish something isn’t enough.
Achieving goals — especially significant ones — takes a huge amount of effort.
It also takes time.
The Key to Achieving Goals: The 20-Second Rule
You’ve probably heard that it takes 21 days to form a new habit.
Fine. (Although there’s an argument about that, which I’ll get to in another post).
But the catch is, many of us can’t even make it that far!
Before we know it, boredom, self-doubt or laziness set in and we’re right back to square one.
So, what’s the solution? How can we keep making progress until we finally hit ’21 days’ and enjoy effortlessly embracing that new habit in our daily lives?
Well, the much lesser-known secret to accomplishing your goals lies in the art of taking action within the first 20 seconds of thinking about it.
That 20 second window is make-or-break time.
If you take longer than that to decide, you’re probably not going to do it.
Simple.
That 20 second window is make-or-break time.
If you take longer than that to decide, you’re probably not going to do it.
And if you continue failing to do it, you’ll find that sooner or later (probably sooner), you’ll call it a day.
(And then probably set it as a goal again next year. . .)
Simple Strategies for Achieving Goals
The key, then, is to outsmart your brain and ACT FAST, before the feeling of giving up creeps in.
To help you take action quickly, there are two super-helpful hacks that you should know about:
Helpful Hack #1: Keep It Visible and Within Easy Reach
Whatever you need for your goals – a book, a violin, or your running shoes – put them where you can see and grab them easily.
For example, leave your running shoes right by the front door the night before, rather than buried at the back of the cupboard.
The more time you spend looking for the shoes equals the less likelihood you’ll end up running in them — and remember: You’ve only got 20 seconds or less. . .
So, slip ’em on, step straight out the door and start pounding the pavement!
Helpful hack #2: If It Ain’t Helping, Make It Easy To Avoid
If you’re trying to break a habit, make it either easy to avoid or hard to get to. Or get rid of it completely!
If you’re aiming to cut down on using your mobile phone so you can do more work, put it in another room, lock it away or set it to ‘plane mode’.
For example, if it’s a healthier diet you’re after, toss out all the junk food from your fridge.
If you’re gaming too much when you know you should be getting exercise, hand over that PS4 power lead to a friend or partner and give them strict instructions to keep it hidden for an agreed period.
Even better, stick the whole thing in storage.
How to Stay Motivated & Actually Succeed
Humans thrive when they’re making progress and when they’re thriving they’re much less likely to give up.
One way to make sure that YOU keep on making progress as you work towards smashing your goals is to remember that strategy beats intention. EVERY TIME.
So, give the 20 second tip a try and enjoy the experience of finally understanding how to set goals — and actually ACHIEVE them!
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