Remember New Year’s Eve a few months ago? It seems ages ago, but do you remember what you promised yourself you’d do this year?

Maybe one of your New Year’s goals went like this:

• I’ll eat healthier
• I’m going to exercise more
• I’ll talk to people more
• I’m going to take a risk and try something new
• etc.

Now that we’re almost in May, how are your goals working out? Most likely, you (like me) are struggling with keeping yourself afloat. School, family responsibilities, even work may have gotten in the way. I understand. 

We’re all at that level. Sometimes we get caught up in the goal setting and forget that we can get tempted and slip up a little…. or a lot, actually.

It’s ok that you’re not perfect. Nobody is. And we all get stuck when it comes to our goals and what we want to do. Even though I’m far from perfect, I have learned a few things when it comes to goals through my experiences.

I’ve noticed there are 3 common mistakes we make when trying to reach a goal that could be keeping us from happiness. The secret is, they aren’t even that obvious, but they make a huge difference in our patterns and what we do.

By changing these 3 things, we can accomplish more goals effectively, but also feel more satisfied with ourselves. 

#1 – The Misconception of Being a “Failure” –

When you think that you have failed, remember that you haven’t failed until you’ve given up! Always see a mistake as a learning experience, and then avoid making that mistake again.

When a reporter asked Thomas Edison, the famous lightbulb inventor, how he felt because he failed so many times on the lightbulb he said, “I have not failed, I have just found 1,999 ways that don’t work.”

And another thing, find ways that work for YOU. We are all different. A method or system that works for me may not be the best for you, and vice versa. Be kind to yourself and do what is best for you.

#2 – Not Having a Plan – 

When you don’t have a plan written down where you can see it often, you can forget it easily because you are not entirely focused on your goal. I’d recommend having a sheet of paper that says where you are now, where you want to be, what is in the way, and what 3 actions you can take during the week to get there.

Now, I don’t mean micro-manage your life. A) it’s exhausting and B) it’s impossible because you can’t control your life! You could make the most detailed plan and life will still throw things your way. So, set an intention (like how I do a word of the year) and stick to it!

#3 – Distractions  –

When you are distracted, you can’t get any work done unless you block the distraction. I like to turn off all unnecessary electronics, put on some headphones to block noise, and work on what I need to do.

One distraction is social media. It can be unhealthy to spend too much time plugged in to the media instead of being productive. Putting it aside can help. Sometimes when I need to write and the computer is still distracting, I will pull out a page and a pen and do it the good ol’ fashioned way. 

That’s it!

I have faith that if you follow these tips, then you can reach your goals and dreams. One of the key things is to take it easy and give yourself the gift of patience and self-compassion. Perfection is not attainable, but happiness IS!

[elisha]