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When to Give Up on Your Goals

September 18, 2018

Each of us have goals, dreams, and aspirations. We have people we want to become and things we want to achieve.

In addition to these goals, we also have habits, activities, and routines that dominate our daily lives. Unfortunately, those habits don’t always help us pursue our goals—and this is a big problem.

Newsflash: If your daily activities don’t line up with your goals, you either need to change your activities, or you need to change your goals.

If your goals and activities aren’t in alignment, you simply won’t succeed. I have clear goals and benchmarks of what I want to achieve, but often the things I do in my daily life don’t help me grow closer to these goals. Two weeks ago, I explained leading and lagging indicators in a blog. This same concept applies to our personal goals. Our daily activities (leading indicators) will help us achieve our desired goals in the future (lagging indicators). So the real questions is, if your activities are not lining up with your goals, are you willing to make changes?

Our habits matter. What activity do you need to change in your life? Do any of these resonate?

  • changing the time you wake up in the morning
  • deciding to go to the gym more
  • changing your diet
  • reading more books
  • investing in your own leadership skills
  • taking a class
  • going back to school
  • attending a seminar
  • having tough conversations with people
  • meeting regularly with a business mentor
  • getting constant feedback on your most important project
  • reaching out about potential promotions in your company
  • reading your Bible everyday
  • committing to attending church each week

The possibilities are endless and diverse, just like our goals and aspirations. Maybe you resonated with one of the examples above, or maybe you need to change a different activity. But here’s the truth: If you’re not willing to make necessary tough changes, you need to give up on your goal. You’ll never achieve your goals without an alignment of your daily activities.

If you aren’t willing to get to the gym or change your diet, you won’t live a healthier lifestyle.

If you aren’t willing to invest in your professional growth through reading books, attending seminars, taking classes, or meeting with a mentor, you’ll stagnate in your current position.

If you aren’t willing to have difficult conversations with the people that matter most to you, your relationships won’t go beyond the surface.

If you aren’t willing to receive and learn from constructive feedback about your work, you won’t grow in your field.

If you aren’t willing to spend more time reading Scripture and praying, you won’t grow in your faith.

This week, make a list of your goals, dreams, or aspirations and figure out what you need to do every day to eventually achieve each one. Don’t allow the comfort of a routine keep you from reaching your full potential.

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