Earlier the week I wrote a post about the Benefits of Goal Setting. Today I wanted to tell why Goal Setting actually sucks! Talk about a complete 180.

I know this may seem weird coming from me since I talk so much about the importance of goal setting. I was actually the poster child for goal setting since I went through my first goal setting program at just four-years-old.

I constantly ask people about their goals, challenge them to write them down and to schedule daily activity that will move them closer to accomplishing them. Goal setting really has been and still is my life. It’s also my business. And with all of that, it still sucks sometimes.

Why does it suck?

Because Goal Setting actually works!

If you follow the rules I list in my earlier post you can achieve your goals. The goal setting process is extremely effective and is relatively easy to do. It absolutely works.

What happens though at times is that we set a goal and work tirelessly to accomplish it only to get to the finish line and realize we no longer even want it.

Goal setting can be like Christmas morning when you were a kid (or maybe for yours kids now). Remember when you were so excited? You couldn’t sleep the night before, you kept thinking about all the great new things you would get. But then morning came, you ripped through the presents in 15 minutes and it was over. So much excitement often followed by disappointment, or with you playing with the boxes!

Goal setting sucks if you allow yourself to become so obsessed with achieving the goal just for the sake of finishing. There actually is no shame in quitting when it comes to your goals if the outcome is no longer important to you. There is no shame in making adjustments. In fact it is important that you remain flexible. You can be stubborn about your goals, but not too stubborn. More importantly, you must be flexible in your plans and methods.

Here is a question you should continually ask yourself when setting goals and throughout the achievement process: Is this worth it to me?

If the answer is no, you shouldn’t invest more time, energy and other resources into achieving it. If it isn’t worth it you more than likely won’t accomplish it anyway. You will simply bang your head against the wall over and over again. This will only make you bloody.

Don’t force achievement. Don’t waste your time on something that doesn’t matter to you. Remember that goals are supposed to bring out the BEST in you. 

I have one other reason why I believe goal setting often sucks It can suck when we focus more on the things we want to GET rather than who we want to BECOME.

Many years ago it was said that goals must be tangible. But now? That is just dead wrong. If you only have tangible goals then your life becomes all about the things you want to get.

We are all on a journey to LEARN how to lead. I believe we are called to work every day to BECOME a better version of ourselves. You should have some tangible goals. But the goals that matter most are your BECOMING goals.

My number one goal that I have written down and worked towards over the past four years has been to BECOME a better husband to my wife. That is what matters most to me. Years ago someone would have told me this wasn’t a goal because it wasn’t tangible. They would have been wrong.

It’s a goal for the person I want to become.

Don’t allow yourself to get lost in tangible goals focused on all the things you want to get. Be sure you set some BECOMING goals in 2016. Set some of these goals right now! Now is always a great time to work toward BECOMING better.

Will you work to become a better spouse?

Or maybe you can become a better manager or better leader?

Lots of people set goals to become a more involved community member. Others focus on becoming better at practicing their faith. Some want to become healthier (As you can see from my previous post this has not been one of mine!)

You could also set a goal to become the BOSS of your life!

There are many different BECOMING goals. None of them are right or wrong. Your goals are YOUR goals. Be sure to set ones that truly matter to you and constantly ask yourself if it is worth it?

Goal Setting can suck. But if you are flexible and if you focus on what matters most to you, it doesn’t suck. Goal Setting actually ROCKS!

If you could use some help in setting better goals, I recently released a free 4 week course on goal setting. In the course I help you create a roadmap for achieving your goals and avoid some of the common mistakes people make when goal setting. Sign up below!