5 Ways you’re sabotaging your success

It’s the end of the first month of the year. How are you doing on those goals? I’m not saying you have to have completed any of them, thirty-one days into the year. What I’m asking is whether or not you’ve made any progress towards your goals in the last month. If you’ll already feel like you’re losing stem in the pursuit of your goals, take the following into consideration:

1. You’re letting someone else set the terms

   We can’t let others define our success. Whether it’s the opinion of friends and family or comparing yourselves to others, if you’re not working towards something that you want for yourself, staying motivated through set-backs and challenges as you work on your goals is going to be a challenge. You’ve achieved your goal when you get to where you want to be, not where someone else thinks you should be.

2. You have a goal, but no plan

   I’m sure we’ve all heard the quote a goal without a plan is just a dream and it’s true. You wouldn’t go on a road-trip to a destination without using at least a GPS, if not a map as your guide. How do you expect to reach your goal without an idea of where you need to go to get there?

3. You lack true commitment

   I’m a big fan of a T.D. Jakes video on commitment, you can watch it here. In this video he talks about commitment being whatever it takes. He talks about making sacrifices and persisting through challenging times with the faith that everything is happening for a reason. If you’re not willing to do whatever it takes, including releasing bad habits and keeping an open mind at all times, you’ll always feel like you’re spinning your wheels in mud.

4. You’re trying to do it all yourself

   It doesn’t just take a village to raise a child. We need one to get to where we want to go. Give yourself permission to ask for help. It isn’t a sign of weakness. Don’t let your pride keep you from achieving your goals. Team work really does make the dream work!

5. You don’t really believe it’s possible

   This is a big one. Your goal may be so big that it scares you, and that’s okay. Big goals create big emotions and you have to use that to your advantage. Be mindful of your language – it’s not if it happens, but when it happens. Don’t hope that it will happen, know that it will. Find motivation and inspiration in knowing how achieving this goal is going to impact your life and as a result the lives of those around you.

Obviously we’re not sabotaging ourselves on purpose. Once you realize the things that you are unconsciously doing that are keeping you from achieving your goals, you can do something about it. What do you need to do to achieve success this year?