In my experience, these are the main mistakes we make when setting goals.
Not realistic.
Sometimes, you set goals that are perfectly reasonable – until you set a timeline on them. For instance, losing 20 pounds. is great. Doing so by next Friday? Probably not very realistic.
I’ve found especially with new entrepreneurs, that they tend to overestimate the amount they can accomplish in a short period of time. Learning curves – particularly online – can be steep, and unexpected obstacles arise. Then, these setbacks cause you to get discouraged and abandon the whole project because your original estimates weren’t met.
Let me say this: things rarely go as planned – in business or in life. When setting your goals, build in some wiggle room that will allow you to handle unanticipated delays. In other words, expect the unexpected and plan for it.
Not challenging enough.
The converse of the unrealistic goal is setting goals that aren’t enough of a stretch. It may seem smart to set very low expectations, but in actuality it can undermine your motivation. What’s so great about running half a mile when you know you could easily run 10 times that much? It’s hard to be proud of your accomplishments when you know you could have done much better.
Not specific.
If your goal is not specific enough, you’re going to have trouble meeting it and being motivated by it. If your goal is a vague statement such as “lose weight,” you could lose half a pound and call it a day.
Is that satisfactory? Or, you could lose 20 pounds and feel disappointed. How do you know if you’ve achieved a goal if the goal is as vague as “lose weight?” If you’re not feeling motivated by your goal, try making your goal more specific.
Next week our final three mistakes. Meanwhile, share your thoughts and ideas about your goals by leaving a comment below.
Jeannine Clontz, IVAA CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: http://www.accbizsvcs.com, or contact her at info@accbizsvsc.com
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I was part of a group of women business owners, and members of the St. Louis Chapter of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) who were invited to participate in a video about the organization which aired on St. Louis television this past Sunday. Sponsored by www.allaboutbusinesstv.com who did a fabulous job. Check it out!
The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), of Metropolitan St. Louis, recently announced their annual Public Policy trip to Jefferson City which includes their members, and participants from 15 statewide organizations including the St. Louis Minority Business Council, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Women Impacting Public Policy – Missouri, MidAmerica Minority Business Development Council, and the St. Louis Black Leadership Roundtable, just to mention a few.
This is going to be a great NAWBO St. Louis meeting – and you get a FREE book with your registration – hope to see you there! 
The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), St. Louis Chapter, is pleased to announce their January program featuring Susan Elliott, one of the first female programmers at IBM and later founder and chairman of SSE, a national firm recognized globally
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Good points, Jeannine. Goal setting seems to be the bane in more than just business. Many people fail in this area. I think fear is a factor – fear that we won’t meet the goal, that others will mock us when we don’t. But, as you say, if we don’t make specific goals we will never know if and when we have ‘arrived’. Fear is difficult to overcome and is the result of the wrong mindset. We have to clear out the old thought patterns and change direction towards a positive viewpoint to conquer the negativity of fear. That takes time and effort but is attainable for anyone who is serious about succeeding. Thank you for sharing your words of wisdom.
Hi, Diane – Thank you for your kind words. Fear is certainly a big factor in so many things. For those I coach or mentor, I usually suggest starting small. Make a small, short-term goal and see how it goes. Then make the next one a little bigger, and so on.
We only overcome our fears by taking that first step, and telling ourselves that WE CAN DO IT! Plays in nicely with your mindset reference. We really do need to not only make sure we provide positive feedback, but that we find others who can support us as we work to overcome our fears.
Hard as it may sound, we sometimes have to stay clear of family and friends who are less than supportive; we need to stay positive in order to maintain the right mindset that will allow us to realize our dreams.
Thanks again, Diane – glad you enjoyed my post!