Watch Out For These Resolution Pitfalls

We’ve talked a lot in this challenge about how to stay on track with your resolutions. There are a lot of tricks and strategies for pushing past resistance and finding the motivation you need to succeed. As we near the end of our time together, I’d like to address some things not to do as you pursue your goals. These are some of the most common reasons people fail in trying to reach their objectives. Watch out for these resolution pitfalls to greatly increase your chances of success.

Negative Focus

It’s tempting to place see our flaws and weaknesses in the spotlight when we’re looking to make lifestyle changes. That makes sense. There’s something we don’t like about ourselves or that we feel needs to be improved upon, so we make a resolution to change it. However, a change in perspective can make reaching your goal a lot less painful. For instance, instead of saying, “I’m lazy and waste too much time,” try telling yourself, “I haven’t found my passion yet and am eager to do some exploring.” The messages we tell ourselves tend to lead our actions.

Trend Seeking

Fads come and go. It’s easy to want to jump on the bandwagon or to feel like you should be doing what everyone else seems to be. That’s why so many of us tend to make resolutions we don’t really find meaningful. Deciding to pursue a goal that feels like something you “should” do because so many people are you are doing it is being inauthentic to yourself and your core values. It will only lead you to become disenchanted or frustrated along the way to your destination.

Quest for Perfection

A surefire killer of resolutions lies in trying to be perfect. We’re all flawed individuals. We’re bound to mess up from time to time. This is especially true when attempting something new or out of our comfort zone. Be sure to cut yourself some slack when going after your goals. Expecting perfection is self-sabotaging and often leads to an unfulfilled dream.

Loss of Excitement

At the beginning, the excitement and novelty of your resolution is often enough to carry you along. Later, you may find yourself getting too comfortable or finding that things have become routine. In these times, it’s easy to slide back into old habits because you’re not paying as much attention to your actions or you lose focus. Finding a supportive cheerleader, writing yourself visual reminders or other similar action can be the motivation you need to get past the slump.

There are other pitfalls I’ve presented in past posts such as trying to go it alone, not being specific in your goal-setting or failing to measure your progress. I wanted to share some lesser-known issues that can crop up and sabotage your success. Now that you’re aware, it will be easier to avoid them.