7 Ways to Make Goals Stick

by Mona Raglow

Geez. We make goals, we forget goals. We create goals out of guilt, because we think we should. We create goals to lose weight, make more money, find the right partner, and buy organic produce. And then we give up. And start over. Or not.

So, why do we fail? Here are my top 7 ways to make goals stick.

1. Make it mean something to you.

OWN your goal. Decide WHY you want to (fill in the blank), and then ask yourself why you are doing it. And then ask why again. And Again. AND AGAIN. Until you get to the emotion of it. That’s when you know you’re there.

2. Modify as needed.

Hey, when you set your goal, you thought you nailed it. But situations change, players change, motivations change, and we become more grounded. I’m not saying to give up on your goal…just modify it to make it realistic.

3. Tell others.

On a flight from Grand Rapids to Kansas City a gazillion years ago, I had been thinking about my career, and a promotion I had been offered. I was sitting next to a man named Mark, (who I actually ended up hiring as a consultant to the company I was working for), and I told him my dilemma. He counseled me, asking me some tough questions, which helped me decide to take the promotion.

4. Believe you can do it.

Our minds can play tricks on us. A LOT. Our minds can talk us out of things (or into bad things) at the blink of an eye. If your goal is to reduce your sugar intake, and you tell yourself, “oh, I have NO willpower when I drive by the local ice cream store”, then guess what? You’ll soon be consuming a large salted caramel milkshake, and telling yourself “I’m right, I have no willpower.”

5. Don’t take on too much at once.

If you want to make some lasting changes, remember, willpower is a limited resource. Researchers call it a “cognitive load”, when we have too much on our plate. (I call it STRESS). Here’s a great research study that confirms that we should not attempt to change too many things at once.

6. Have a way to track your progress.

This sounds obvious, but it isn’t. No matter what your goal is, track it either on paper or electronically. Trust me, just when you think “oh, I’ll remember that”, something else will come along and use up some brain space, and you’ll forget what you wanted to remember.

7. Be kind to yourself.

Finally, remember that you’re human. Remember that we all make mistakes, fall off the wagon, have temporary amnesia, (well, maybe not that one). But you get the point. Just because you get off track, doesn’t mean you give up. If you do give up, then re-evaluate point #1. Ask Why again, and again, and again, until the emotion comes up. That’s when change starts to happen.