It’s that time of year again. It seems like everyone is talking about their goals, New Year’s resolutions, or how things will be different next year. But maybe you’re an outlier. Maybe you feel resistance toward that and, at the most, are only mildly intrigued. It can be natural to feel skeptical, especially if you’ve never set goals before. Or if the ones you set in the past fizzled out.
It could be that you’re fully on board. You’re ready for a change; you want to achieve something new. But you don’t want to do it alone. You want someone to join you on the journey. Someone to provide accountability and moral support, and vice versa. The only problem is, they’re not interested. Not only that, they’re reluctant.
Whatever position you find yourself in, you’re experiencing significant resistance to the process. Here are four truths everyone can stick to for overcoming goal-setting resistance:
- Goal setting looks different for everyone. There’s no one-size-fits-all for goal-setting. You don’t have to compete with anyone. And you shouldn’t feel like you have to keep up. In fact, if your goals aren’t truly your own, there’s a chance you won’t follow through. Having a trusted partner or friend go through this process with you can help identify your blind spots and ensure your goals are authentic to you.
- Goal setting helps excavate you. There comes a time when we each need to do some soul-searching. Because what if you actually don’t know yourself very well? Setting goals gives you clarity about what you want your life to look like and opens possibilities for your hopes, dreams, desires, and gifts.
- Goal setting cultivates confidence. As you make progress on your goals and build momentum, you discover a new sense of confidence. By leaning into the process and pushing fear aside, you begin to accomplish things you never thought possible. This positions you to want to pursue even more.
- Goal setting offers a destination. You no longer have to go through life simply drifting toward a destination you never intended or wanted. You don’t have to feel like you’re living someone else’s life. Goal setting offers you a map. It helps you plot a course for where you want to go.
You can get clear about what you want your life to look like and actually make it happen. Don’t let fear, pride, cynicism, or resignation hold you back. If you’re a reluctant goal setter but want to reach for something more this next year, trust the process. The more you do, the more you’ll feel the resistance dissipate. As it does, you may just have your best year ever.
Last modified on October 10th, 2022 at 9:44 am
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