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10 Reasons Why Your Not Hitting your Goals; How to fix it.

  • Writer: Jack Silva
    Jack Silva
  • Jun 7, 2023
  • 18 min read

1.When it comes to setting and achieving goals, one of the major reasons people often fall short is that the goal they set is not something they truly desire or are deeply passionate about. It's crucial to have a goal that you have a burning desire to achieve, something that you absolutely have to have no matter what.


Here are a few reasons why having a "must-have" goal is essential for success:

A. Intrinsic Motivation: When a goal aligns with your values, interests, and passions, you naturally feel more motivated to pursue it. Intrinsic motivation, which comes from within, is a powerful driving force that propels you forward even in the face of challenges. If the goal is not something you genuinely care about, you're more likely to lose interest and give up when obstacles arise.


B. Resilience and Persistence: Goals worth pursuing often require time, effort, and perseverance to achieve. When setbacks occur, it's your unwavering commitment to the goal that helps you bounce back and keep going. If the goal doesn't hold deep meaning for you, you may lack the resilience and persistence necessary to overcome obstacles, leading to abandonment or half-hearted efforts.


C. Sacrifice and Discipline: Meaningful goals often demand sacrifices and require discipline. There will be times when you have to prioritize your goal over immediate gratification or comfort. Without a strong desire for the goal, it becomes challenging to make the necessary sacrifices or maintain the required discipline. As a result, you may find yourself easily swayed by distractions or tempted to give up when faced with difficult choices.


D. Long-Term Satisfaction: Achieving a goal that truly matters to you brings a sense of fulfillment, accomplishment, and personal growth. It provides a lasting satisfaction that extends beyond the attainment itself. Conversely, pursuing goals that are not deeply meaningful can leave you feeling unfulfilled, even if you achieve them, because they don't align with your true desires.


To ensure your goals have the necessary drive behind them, it's important to reflect on what truly matters to you. Ask yourself why you want to achieve a particular goal and consider how it aligns with your values, aspirations, and passions. If you discover that the goal doesn't evoke a strong emotional response or a sense of necessity, it may be worth reevaluating and redirecting your efforts toward something that truly ignites your passion and commitment.

Remember, the most fulfilling and successful goals are those that make you feel alive, driven, and enthusiastic throughout your journey to achieve them.




2. One of the common reasons people fail to achieve their goals is the failure to write them down. While it may seem like a simple or insignificant step, the act of writing down your goals has a profound impact on your ability to turn them into reality. Here's why:

A. Clarity and Focus: Writing down your goals brings clarity to your intentions. It forces you to articulate precisely what you want to achieve, which helps you crystallize your thoughts and define your objectives with greater clarity. When your goals are clear and well-defined, you can focus your efforts more effectively and develop a specific action plan to work towards them.


B. Commitment and Accountability: Putting your goals in writing serves as a commitment to yourself. It's a tangible representation of your aspirations and intentions. When you write down your goals, you make a personal contract with yourself, reinforcing your commitment to achieving them. This commitment can help you stay accountable to yourself and increase your motivation to take consistent action.


C. Memory and Recall: Our minds can be forgetful, and relying solely on mental recollection of our goals can lead to them slipping through the cracks. By writing them down, you create a physical record that serves as a reminder. It helps you remember and recall your goals more easily, especially when life gets busy or distractions arise. A written record keeps your goals front and center in your consciousness.


D. Visualization and Affirmation: Writing down your goals enables you to visualize them more vividly. As you describe your goals in written form, you engage your imagination and create a mental image of what achieving those goals would look like. This visualization enhances your motivation and belief in your ability to attain them. Additionally, reading your written goals regularly acts as a powerful affirmation that reinforces your belief in yourself and your aspirations.


E. Planning and Organization: When you write down your goals, it becomes easier to break them down into smaller, actionable steps. You can create a roadmap or action plan that outlines the specific actions you need to take to move closer to your goals. This structured approach helps you stay organized, track your progress, and measure your success along the way.


By taking the time to write down your goals, you are actively engaging in the process of clarifying your intentions, reinforcing your commitment, and creating a roadmap for success. It's a small yet powerful practice that significantly increases your chances of achieving what you set out to do. So, grab a pen and paper or use a digital tool to document your goals and set yourself up for success.


3. Setting deadlines for your goals is crucial for several reasons. Without a clear timeline, it becomes easier to procrastinate, lose focus, or get overwhelmed by the task at hand. Here's why putting a deadline down is important for goal achievement:

A. Focus and Prioritization: Deadlines create a sense of urgency and help you prioritize your tasks. When you have a specific timeframe in mind, it becomes easier to determine which actions are most important and need to be completed first. Deadlines prevent aimless drifting and encourage you to concentrate your efforts on the tasks that directly contribute to your goal.


B. Momentum and Motivation: A deadline acts as a motivational tool by providing a sense of purpose and a target to work towards. It gives you a sense of urgency that can push you to take consistent action and maintain momentum. Deadlines provide structure and help you stay on track, avoiding unnecessary delays and distractions.


C. Accountability and Commitment: By setting a deadline, you hold yourself accountable for your progress and results. It adds a level of commitment to your goal, as you are establishing a timeline by which you aim to achieve it. Deadlines make you more likely to take your goal seriously and follow through with the necessary actions, as you are responsible for meeting the set timeframe.


D. Measurement and Evaluation: Deadlines enable you to measure and evaluate your progress more effectively. With a specific endpoint in mind, you can assess your achievements along the way and make necessary adjustments to your approach if required. Deadlines provide a tangible benchmark against which you can gauge your performance and determine if you need to course-correct or make changes to your strategy.


E. Time Management and Efficiency: Setting deadlines helps improve your time management skills. It encourages you to allocate your time and resources wisely, making you more efficient in your goal pursuit. With a deadline, you are motivated to plan and organize your tasks, allocate time for different activities, and optimize your productivity.

When setting deadlines, it's important to make them realistic and achievable. Consider the complexity of your goal, the resources available to you, and any external factors that may impact your timeline. Break your goal down into smaller, manageable milestones, each with its own deadline, to ensure a steady progression towards the ultimate objective.

Remember, deadlines are not meant to induce unnecessary stress or be overly rigid. They should serve as a framework to guide your efforts and provide a sense of direction. Flexibility is also important, as circumstances may change or unforeseen challenges may arise. Adjust your deadlines when necessary, but always strive to maintain a sense of urgency and accountability to maximize your chances of goal attainment.


4. Taking the time to sit down, think, and reverse engineer your goals is a crucial step in the goal-setting process. Reverse engineering involves starting with the end result in mind and working backward to determine the specific actions and milestones necessary to achieve that result. Here's why this step is important:

A. Clarity and Specificity: Reverse engineering helps you gain clarity and specificity about your goal. When you have a clear vision of the desired outcome, you can break it down into smaller, actionable steps. This process allows you to define the specific tasks, resources, and milestones required to reach your goal, making it more tangible and attainable.


B. Actionable Roadmap: Reverse engineering provides you with a roadmap for success. By breaking your goal into smaller, manageable tasks and milestones, you create a step-by-step plan that guides your actions. This roadmap helps you stay focused, organized, and on track, minimizing confusion and overwhelm. It provides a structured approach to achieve your goal effectively.


C. Identifying Potential Obstacles: During the reverse engineering process, you can identify potential obstacles or challenges that may arise along the way. By anticipating these hurdles in advance, you can develop strategies to overcome them. This proactive approach allows you to be better prepared for any difficulties you might encounter, increasing your chances of success.


D. Resource Allocation: Reverse engineering helps you determine the resources you'll need to achieve your goal. It allows you to assess the time, finances, skills, and support required for each step of the process. This analysis helps you allocate your resources effectively, ensuring that you have what you need at each stage to move forward.


E. Progress Tracking and Evaluation: When you reverse engineer your goal, you establish measurable milestones and checkpoints. These markers of progress enable you to track your advancement and evaluate your performance along the way. By having clear milestones, you can celebrate achievements, measure your pace, and make adjustments if necessary.


F. Motivation and Momentum: Breaking your goal into smaller, achievable tasks through reverse engineering can enhance your motivation and maintain momentum. As you complete each step, you experience a sense of accomplishment and progress. This positive reinforcement fuels your motivation and propels you forward towards the next milestone.


Remember, reverse engineering is a dynamic process. As you progress, you may need to adjust your plan or modify your approach based on new information or changing circumstances. Flexibility is key, and regular reviews and adjustments will help ensure that your reverse-engineered plan remains relevant and effective.

By taking the time to sit down, think, and reverse engineer your goals, you set yourself up for success. You gain clarity, create an actionable roadmap, identify potential obstacles, allocate resources efficiently, track progress, and maintain motivation. This thoughtful approach significantly increases your chances of achieving your goals and turning your vision into a reality.




5. One of the key reasons people fail to achieve their goals is the lack of consistent action. It's not enough to set goals and create plans; you must also take consistent steps towards them. Here's why getting to work and staying consistent is crucial:

A. Progress and Momentum: Consistent action is the fuel that propels you towards your goals. Taking regular, intentional steps keeps you in motion and builds momentum. Each action you take brings you closer to your desired outcome, creating a sense of progress and motivating you to keep going.


B. Habit Formation: Consistency in taking action helps you form positive habits that support your goal achievement. When you consistently engage in the actions related to your goal, they become ingrained as habits. Habits require less effort and willpower, making it easier to maintain your progress over the long term.


C. Overcoming Procrastination: Consistent action is a powerful antidote to procrastination. Procrastination often stems from fear, doubt, or discomfort associated with taking action. By consistently showing up and taking small steps, you diminish the power of procrastination and build resilience against it.


D. Learning and Adaptation: Consistent action provides valuable feedback and insights. It allows you to learn from your experiences, refine your approach, and make necessary adjustments. With each action, you gather information about what works and what doesn't, enabling you to fine-tune your strategies and improve your chances of success.


E. Accountability and Commitment: Consistency demonstrates your commitment to your goals. When you consistently show up and take action, you hold yourself accountable to your aspirations. It reinforces your dedication, discipline, and integrity, enhancing your sense of responsibility towards your goals.


F. Overcoming Challenges: Challenges and setbacks are inevitable when pursuing goals. Consistent action helps you navigate these obstacles effectively. It allows you to develop problem-solving skills, resilience, and adaptability. By persistently working through challenges, you build the confidence and determination necessary to overcome them.


G. Time Utilization: Consistency optimizes the use of your time. By consistently allocating time for goal-related activities, you make progress efficiently. Regular action ensures that you make the most of your available time and avoid the pitfalls of sporadic effort or procrastination.


To cultivate consistency, consider the following strategies: 1. Prioritize and schedule: Identify the most critical actions related to your goals and schedule dedicated time for them. Treat these time blocks as non-negotiable appointments with yourself. 2. Break it down: Break down your goals into smaller, manageable tasks. Focus on completing one task at a time, rather than overwhelming yourself with the entire goal. 3. Celebrate progress: Acknowledge and celebrate each milestone or accomplishment along the way. This positive reinforcement boosts motivation and encourages you to maintain consistency. 4. Find accountability: Share your goals and progress with someone you trust, whether it's a friend, family member, or mentor. Their support and encouragement can help you stay accountable and committed. 5. Stay focused: Minimize distractions and create a conducive environment for work. Eliminate or limit potential interruptions and temptations that may derail your consistency.

Remember, consistency is key when it comes to goal achievement. It's the regular, persistent effort that brings you closer to your desired outcomes. Embrace the power of consistent action and make it a habit to work consistently towards your goals.




6. Having an accountability plan is an essential component of achieving your goals. Accountability provides support, motivation, and a sense of responsibility, all of which contribute to increased goal attainment. Here's why an accountability plan is a must-do for goal success:

A. External Support and Encouragement: An accountability plan involves involving others in your goal pursuit. By sharing your goals with a trusted individual or group, you gain external support and encouragement. These individuals can provide guidance, motivation, and constructive feedback, helping you stay on track and overcome challenges.


B. Increased Motivation and Commitment: When you make your goals known to others, you create a sense of obligation and commitment. Accountability partners or groups can hold you to your stated intentions, fostering a higher level of motivation and dedication. Knowing that others are aware of your goals can be a powerful incentive to take consistent action and follow through.


C. Regular Check-ins and Progress Tracking: An accountability plan typically includes regular check-ins with your accountability partner or group. These check-ins provide an opportunity to review your progress, discuss challenges, and celebrate milestones. Regular updates and progress tracking help maintain focus, highlight areas for improvement, and ensure that you're consistently moving towards your goal.


D. Objective Feedback and Perspective: Accountability partners or groups can offer objective feedback and fresh perspectives. They can provide insights, ideas, and suggestions that you may not have considered on your own. Their different viewpoints and experiences can help you gain clarity, refine your strategies, and identify potential blind spots.


E. Overcoming Procrastination and Self-Doubt: Accountability partners can help you overcome procrastination and self-doubt, which can often hinder progress towards your goals. They can provide gentle reminders, encouragement, and support during moments when motivation wanes or self-doubt creeps in. By having someone to answer to, you're more likely to push through challenges and maintain consistent action.


F. Problem-Solving and Resource Sharing: Accountability partners or groups can serve as a valuable resource network. They may have knowledge, skills, or connections that can assist you in your goal pursuit. They can also provide guidance in problem-solving, helping you navigate obstacles and find creative solutions.


G. Celebrating Successes and Learning from Setbacks: Accountability partners can be there to celebrate your successes with you. Sharing your achievements and milestones with others who understand the significance can enhance the joy and satisfaction you derive from reaching your goals. Similarly, when setbacks occur, accountability partners can offer support, help you analyze what went wrong, and assist you in learning from the experience.


To create an effective accountability plan, consider the following steps:

1. Identify an accountability partner or group: Choose someone or a group of individuals who are reliable, trustworthy, and genuinely interested in your success. 2. Set clear expectations and goals: Clearly communicate your goals, timelines, and the type of support you're seeking. Be specific about the level of accountability and frequency of check-ins that you desire. 3. Schedule regular check-ins: Establish a consistent schedule for check-ins and progress updates. This can be weekly, biweekly, or monthly, depending on your preferences and the nature of your goals.

4. Define the accountability structure: Determine how you want to be held accountable. This could involve sharing progress reports, discussing challenges, setting action steps, or receiving feedback.

5. Celebrate milestones: Plan for celebrations or rewards when you achieve significant milestones. This reinforces positive progress and motivates you to keep moving forward.

Remember, an accountability plan provides the support, motivation, and structure needed to stay focused and committed to your goals. Embrace the power of accountability and leverage it as a tool to propel you towards success.


7. Fixing and refining your approach is crucial for achieving your goals. It allows you to adapt, learn from your experiences, and make necessary adjustments along the way. Here's why it's important to fix and refine what you're doing:

A. Continuous Improvement: Fixing and refining your approach enables continuous improvement. As you work towards your goal, you gather insights, learn from your successes and failures, and refine your strategies accordingly. This iterative process helps you optimize your actions, increase efficiency, and enhance your chances of success.


B. Adaptation to Changing Circumstances: Circumstances can change throughout your goal pursuit. External factors, unforeseen challenges, or new information may require you to adjust your approach. By fixing and refining what you're doing, you can adapt to changing conditions and ensure that your actions remain aligned with your desired outcome.


C. Course Correction: Fixing and refining your approach allows you to course correct when necessary. If you encounter obstacles or realize that your initial plan isn't working as expected, you can make timely adjustments. This flexibility and willingness to change direction can save you time, effort, and resources, and help you stay on track towards your goal.


D. Feedback and Evaluation: Fixing and refining your approach involves seeking feedback and evaluating your progress. By actively seeking feedback from trusted sources or mentors, you gain valuable insights and perspectives. This feedback can help you identify areas for improvement, spot blind spots, and fine-tune your strategies. Regular evaluation allows you to assess your performance, identify what's working and what's not, and make the necessary refinements.


E. Efficiency and Effectiveness: Fixing and refining your approach increases the efficiency and effectiveness of your actions. Through ongoing evaluation and adjustment, you optimize your processes, eliminate inefficiencies, and focus on the most impactful actions. This targeted approach saves time, energy, and resources, allowing you to make steady progress towards your goal.


F. Learning and Growth: Fixing and refining what you're doing fosters personal and professional growth. It encourages a growth mindset, where setbacks and failures are seen as opportunities for learning and improvement. Through this process, you develop new skills, gain valuable experience, and become more resilient in the face of challenges.


G. Goal Alignment: Fixing and refining your approach ensures that your actions remain aligned with your desired outcome. It helps you stay focused on the goal's core purpose and prevents you from getting sidetracked by distractions or tangential activities. By continually assessing and adjusting your approach, you maintain clarity and direction in your goal pursuit.


Remember, fixing and refining what you're doing is not a sign of failure but a sign of proactive and adaptive goal pursuit. It allows you to stay agile, maximize your efforts, and increase your chances of achieving success. Embrace the process of continuous improvement and view it as an integral part of your journey towards reaching your goals.




8. Asking yourself the question, "If I do this and follow instructions, will I be able to reach my goal?" and then taking action based on the answer is incredibly important. Here's why:

A. Clarity and Realistic Assessment: Asking this question forces you to assess the feasibility and viability of your chosen actions. It helps you gain clarity on whether your proposed approach aligns with the requirements of your goal. By honestly evaluating the instructions and your abilities to follow them, you can determine if your actions will lead to the desired outcome.


B. Focus and Elimination of Distractions: By asking this question, you prioritize actions that are directly aligned with your goal. It helps you filter out unnecessary or distracting activities that might divert your attention or dilute your efforts. This focus enables you to direct your energy towards the actions that have the highest likelihood of moving you closer to your goal.


C. Commitment and Discipline: Asking the question reinforces your commitment and strengthens your discipline. When you affirm that you are willing to do what it takes and follow the necessary instructions, you establish a mindset of dedication and perseverance. This mindset is crucial for staying motivated and overcoming obstacles that may arise during your goal pursuit.


D. Evaluation of Strategy and Adjustments: By considering whether your actions and instructions are sufficient to achieve your goal, you open the door for evaluating and refining your strategy. If the answer to the question is negative, it signals the need to reassess your approach and make necessary adjustments. This self-reflection allows you to optimize your actions and increase your chances of success.


E. Accountability and Responsibility: Asking yourself this question holds you accountable for your choices and actions. It emphasizes the importance of taking personal responsibility for your goal attainment. By acknowledging that the responsibility lies with you to follow the instructions and take action, you empower yourself to be proactive and accountable throughout the journey.


F. Confidence and Self-Belief: When you can answer the question affirmatively and take action accordingly, it reinforces your confidence and self-belief. It affirms that you have the capability and determination to achieve your goal. This self-assurance can help overcome doubts, boost motivation, and strengthen your resolve to persevere in the face of challenges.


G. Progress and Results: Ultimately, asking the question and then taking action based on the answer is crucial for making progress and achieving results. It ensures that your efforts are purposeful and aligned with your desired outcome. By consistently taking action that follows the instructions, you create a clear path towards your goal and increase your chances of successful attainment.


Remember, asking the question and then doing what it takes to follow the instructions is a powerful mindset and action-oriented approach. It helps you maintain focus, discipline, and accountability, while also allowing you to evaluate and adjust your strategy when necessary. By combining thoughtful consideration with decisive action, you set yourself up for success in reaching your goals.




9.Distinguishing between understanding and believing is crucial when it comes to goal achievement. Here's why it's important to recognize the difference between the two:

A. Action and Implementation: Understanding something academically or conceptually is different from truly believing it and internalizing it. Belief drives action, whereas mere understanding may not necessarily result in taking the necessary steps towards your goals. It's the beliefs you hold that shape your behaviors and determine whether you translate your knowledge into action.


B. Alignment of Thoughts and Actions: When you truly believe something, your thoughts, intentions, and actions align. Your beliefs become the driving force behind your decisions and behaviors. If there is a disconnect between what you understand and what you believe, you may find yourself engaging in contradictory actions or failing to act altogether.


C. Overcoming Mental Barriers: Sometimes, there can be mental barriers or limiting beliefs that prevent us from fully embracing what we understand. These barriers can be subconscious and may hinder progress towards our goals. By recognizing and addressing these barriers, we can bridge the gap between understanding and belief, removing obstacles that may be holding us back.


D. Motivation and Persistence: Belief provides motivation and sustains persistence in the face of challenges. When you genuinely believe in the importance of your goals and the actions required to achieve them, you are more likely to stay motivated and resilient. Belief gives you the drive to persevere through setbacks, maintain consistency, and overcome obstacles on your path.


E. Psychological and Emotional Impact: Belief has a powerful psychological and emotional impact. When you deeply believe in something, it generates a sense of conviction, confidence, and self-assurance. This positive mindset enhances your ability to overcome doubts, fears, and uncertainties. It also strengthens your resilience and helps you maintain a positive outlook, even when faced with difficulties.


F. Integration and Internalization: Belief involves the integration and internalization of knowledge. It goes beyond surface-level understanding and becomes a part of your identity and value system. When you truly believe in something, it becomes ingrained in your thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. This integration allows you to consistently act in alignment with your beliefs, increasing the likelihood of goal achievement.


G. Authenticity and Congruence: Recognizing the distinction between understanding and believing promotes authenticity and congruence. It encourages you to align your actions with your true beliefs and values. When your actions are congruent with your beliefs, you experience a sense of authenticity and inner harmony. This alignment creates a strong foundation for goal pursuit and enables you to navigate challenges with integrity and clarity.


In summary, understanding something intellectually is an important first step, but true belief and internalization are necessary to drive action and goal attainment. By bridging the gap between understanding and belief, you align your thoughts, intentions, and actions, enhance motivation and resilience, and foster a sense of authenticity and congruence. Recognizing and embracing your genuine beliefs can be a powerful catalyst for turning knowledge into action and increasing your chances of hitting your goals.




10. The concept of consistently doing a little bit better each day is powerful when it comes to achieving your goals. Here's why:


A. Progress and Momentum: By focusing on doing a little bit better today than you did yesterday, you create a sense of continuous progress. Even small improvements accumulate over time, leading to significant advancements towards your goals. This gradual progress builds momentum, propelling you forward and increasing your confidence and motivation along the way.


B. Incremental Change: Small, incremental changes are often more sustainable and manageable than trying to make drastic improvements all at once. By breaking down your goals into smaller, achievable steps, you make progress more attainable and reduce the overwhelm that can come with big, daunting tasks. Consistently doing a little bit better each day allows you to build upon your previous achievements, creating a solid foundation for long-term success.


C. Habit Formation: Doing a little bit better each day helps in forming positive habits. Habits are powerful because they allow us to perform certain actions almost effortlessly and consistently. By focusing on incremental improvement, you can turn desired behaviors into habits. Over time, these habits become ingrained, making it easier to sustain progress and maintain consistency towards your goals.


D.Continuous Learning and Growth: Emphasizing small improvements each day promotes a mindset of continuous learning and growth. By reflecting on your actions and identifying areas for improvement, you can seek opportunities to enhance your skills, knowledge, and performance. This mindset encourages self-reflection, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace new challenges, fostering personal and professional development.


E. Overcoming Procrastination and Perfectionism: The concept of doing a little bit better each day helps counteract the tendency to procrastinate or strive for perfection. When you focus on incremental progress, the pressure to achieve flawless results or waiting for the "perfect" moment diminishes. Taking small steps forward, even if they're not perfect, helps overcome analysis paralysis and encourages action. It allows you to make steady progress without succumbing to the fear of making mistakes.


F. Sustainable Motivation: Achieving your goals can be a long and challenging journey. By consistently doing a little bit better each day, you maintain a sense of motivation and enthusiasm. Celebrating even the smallest victories reinforces a positive mindset and keeps you engaged in the process. It's easier to stay motivated when you see tangible progress, no matter how small, rather than waiting for monumental leaps forward.


G. Long-Term Success and Consistency: The power of doing a little bit better each day lies in its ability to foster long-term success and consistency. Consistent improvement builds discipline, resilience, and a growth-oriented mindset. Over time, these qualities become ingrained, leading to sustainable success in achieving your goals.


Remember, the key is to focus on progress, not perfection. Even incremental improvements, no matter how small, add up and compound over time. By consistently doing a little bit better each day, you create positive momentum, develop sustainable habits, and move steadily towards your goals. Embrace the power of small steps and celebrate the progress you make along the way.










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Hi, I'm Jack Silva

I help unhappy struggling people
Do Better, Look Better and Feel Better
about themselves Since 1987.

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