Goals, the desired achievements that give the ‘determined’ meaningful sleepless nights, and the ‘hard worker’ a fruitful result.
In this post,
Have you ever set big goals, felt motivated for a while, but then months later… nothing changed? Have you? Well, I have. On many occasions, I have sat down, picked up a pen and paper, and written down ten things I wanted to achieve, but never crossed more than three of those items on my list.
The feeling was unpleasant. It felt like I had given up on my life. So, I would picked up my equipments and create a list again, and it goes on and on. It became a routine, till I wanted to break that cycle.
I wanted to stay highly motivated and succeed by completing every goal on my checklist.
Why is setting goals important?
Setting a goal in life makes human life on earth purposeful. When we attain our set goals, excitement fills our hearts and leaps them with joy. But when our goals are crippled with the thorns of failure, our life or our sense of purposefulness is dragged down to the bottom of the sea of regret, frustration, and disappointment- coming out becomes nearly impossible.
But there are reasons our hands cannot touch the sky; why we haven’t achieved our goals yet.
Michelle Obama said, “The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”
So, there are reasons why your goal of becoming a lawyer, writer, teacher, doctor, or engineer did not work. Some reasons are external while others are personal.
Are you feeling stuck? Can’t stop procrastinating? Can’t see any progress? Or you’re wondering why that one thing you yearn for hasn’t yielded yet? Don’t worry; reading this post indicates you are ready to make some good lifestyle changes.
Today, this post will uncover the 3 major reasons holding you back, and how to break free.
Fear of failure.
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure,” said Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian novelist.
Three years ago, I wanted to start a YouTube channel, but I didn’t do it because I was afraid people wouldn’t watch it. I thought it wouldn’t work for me. And, I didn’t have the money to buy the proper types of equipment for the setup.
After careful deliberation and reading a few motivational quotes to drown the fear and self-doubt (which didn’t go away), I started the YouTube channel. I started with just my phone and a lapel mic. And guess what? I deleted the channel after some months. Ha! Fear got the best of me.
But, It is okay to be afraid. What is not okay is to let your fear consume you. Sometimes, with everything pointing out as evidence of our failure, we tend not to begin anything at all.
Because, though we haven’t started, it seems we have already failed. There is no motivation or support from anywhere, not even from friends or family.
If not, many Ghanaians will not travel outside to seek greener pastures. Our minds are filled with the fear of the unknown and the outcome of “what if?” and that prevents us from putting plans into action. When there is no action, there is no actualization of goals.
Many people (like me) fear failure and regret it deeply when they fail. But failure “is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely”- Henry Ford, and “When we give ourselves permission to fail, we, at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel”- Eloise Ristad. You will never work on your goals if you don’t embrace the possibility of failure.
Lack of understanding about the goal-setting process.
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
We don’t attain our goals because we fail to understand or undergo the processes involved in goal-setting. We fail to comprehend that goal setting starts with recognizing an objective or skill you want to acquire.
Again, we fail to acknowledge that goal-setting involves brooding over the outcomes you desire, creating smart goals, jotting down those goals, formulating plans to execute the goals, executing those plans, and evaluating and assessing your progress. Without the processes, you cannot see outcomes.
Why can’t we accomplish our goals?
- We set vague goals (e.g., “I want to be successful” instead of “I will grow my business to GHC5K/month by February 2026”).
- We don’t break big goals into small, actionable steps. (Like how do you plan on acheiving that goal)
- We rely too much on motivation instead of a structured system.
How do we achieve our goals?
- Define SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- Create a daily/weekly action plan—small steps lead to big results.
- Use habit trackers, planners, or accountability partners. You can use apps like Habitica to track your daily activities towards achieving your goals.
Lack of commitment to the goal.
Having a goal alone is not enough to achieve it. Goals need commitment, and without commitment, they wither easily like a dry leaf. Our goals are stuck behind the doors of our minds because we do not accurately assess and measure our ability to complete those goals.
We do not have plans mapped out to keep us on track. We lack determination and are easily taken aback by the obstacles we face. We lose focus and control, and lack the zeal to consistently work towards making our goals a reality. We commit to our goals by staying consistent.
Not being consistent means
- We start strong but give up when motivation fades.
- We get distracted easily (social media, Netflix, etc.).
- We don’t track progress or hold ourselves accountable.
To remain consistent we have to create a small daily routine, limit our screen time so that we are not easily distracted, and track our progress.
Your Goals are still Possible!
Lack of planning, fear, and inconsistency are the top roadblocks to achieving your dreams or goals. You have to lay down actionable plans and be consistent to achieve your goals. As for fear, it will never go away completely. You just have to feel the fear and do it anyway.
With time, you will master and have control over your fear. Just find a reason to stay motivated enough to begin. You might ask, “How do I stay motivated?” Understand that motivation comes and goes, but discipline will keep you going. Focus on why you started in the first place and what you seek to attain.
If you are afraid to try again because you have failed before, don’t worry, failure is the proof that you tried. Keep going again.
What’s one small step you can take today to move closer to your goal? Think about it, write it down, and take action.
Also, drop your biggest goal in the comments- I would love to know what you’re working on! Let’s be accountable to each other. Shall we?
