Cracking the Code: Unveiling the Real Reason We Don't Achieve Our Goals
And It Has Nothing To Do Willpower
I have had the honor of teaching a strength and flexibility class at my daughters' dance studio this past year. Lately I have been working with the girls on developing a conditioning habit at home.
I can tell that we are at a point in the year where motivation is waning and maintaining consistency is becoming more difficult. The initial excitement has faded plus the competition season is in full swing which makes it harder to carve out the time.
Last night I shared a quote with the girls about the importance of our daily habits. This quote has had a profound impact on me personally so I wanted to share it with you too.
Take some time to really think about that for a second.
How many times do we set awesome intentions or ambitious goals only to never fully be successful? We start taking action but life inevitably gets in the way. Our efforts might - if we are lucky - put us ahead of where we started but nowhere near our full potential.
This not only applies to the dancers but to any goal or intention.
Eating healthier.
Losing weight.
Getting in shape.
Running a 5K.
Improving your marriage or other relationships.
We are told to dream big and to aim high. And don't get me wrong, I am all for setting big goals. But we also have to be able to take the consistent action required to achieve them.
And this is where daily habits come into play. Whether our goals are related to nutrition, fitness, our career, our relationships - we must have a corresponding supportive habit in place. Otherwise, we will never achieve the desired outcome.
If we want to be fit and healthy, we must have good eating and exercise habits.
If we want to be a writer, we must have a writing habit.
If we want to want to have a better marriage, we must make connecting with our partner a habit.
The reason we don’t achieve our goals has nothing to do with willpower or desire. But everything to do with the daily systems we have (or don’t have) in place. Consistency and repetition are the secret sauce. And this is precisely why we must focus on what we do on the daily.
I think one of the best things we can do is take inventory. What habits do you have that are supportive and moving your life in the direction you want to take? What habits are taking you off-course or could use a little attention?
Awareness is the first step followed by mastering the art of showing up. This means reverse engineering your goal and then figuring out a way to create a supportive habit that will fit into your daily life.
I am a huge fan of starting small and then building from there. Because even the slightest upgrade in your daily doings can produce a tremendous result if applied daily.
Here's to creating daily habits that will help you rise to your goals!