Why Do Most People Not Set Goals?

In our ongoing exploration of ultimate productivity, we have frequently discussed the importance of setting goals on our site. Despite the numerous benefits and the potential for increased success that come with goal setting, it is still common for many people to shy away from this practice. This raises the question: Why do most people not set goals?

We recently had the opportunity to discuss the topic of goal-setting with Caroline Godin, a Director of Public Relations and Life Coach at First Responder Coaching. With years of experience in coaching individuals and teams to achieve their personal and professional goals, Caroline has gained invaluable insights into the challenges and barriers that people face in their pursuit of success. Throughout our conversation, she shared why most people don’t set goals and how to get around it. Below we will go over some quotes from our conversation and then elaborate on them.

Fear of Failure: A Major Hurdle in Goal Setting

“Sometimes the bad situation you know is more comfortable than the better situation which may seem uncertain.”

Caroline said that from her experience most people don’t set goals because of fear of failure. As stated above, the comfort of an already known, bad situation can be more attractive than the unknown potential of a better outcome. This is especially true for those who have experienced failure in the past and are thus more reluctant to set goals and put themselves out there again.

Lack Of Awareness

“Many people simply haven’t been taught the right tools and techniques to effectively set and pursue their goals.”

Many people grow into not knowing exactly how to set goals. When we grow up in a system that sets goals for us pretty much, when we get the rug pulled from under us, it could be a very confusing time. This is why many adults have issues getting out of college.

Most assignments are set for us, and when the academic setting is gone, we don’t know how to create goals for ourselves. This can be a huge obstacle in goal-setting.

Many People Want Success Now

“In today’s fast-paced world, patience is often in short supply, leading to a desire for instant gratification instead of investing time in long-term goals.”

We live in a world where your attention is probably the most important thing. This is because with social media and other mindless things that surround us, it’s increasingly hard to be able to hold an attention span for longer than 5 minutes.

Due to this, people go out and look for a quick fix to their problems. This avoids the process of setting longer term, realistic goals, and working to attain them.

How People Could Get Over These Problems

Not only did she help us figure out why people don’t set goals she also gave us some solutions as well.

Create Smaller Steps For your Goals

“Breaking larger goals into smaller, manageable steps (monthly or even weekly goals) helps to build confidence and maintain motivation, ultimately making the goal more achievable.”

This is something that we touch on in the blog post linked above. Setting smaller steps towards your goals makes the task more manageable and less intimidating. They also help you build your confidence.

Seek Out a Mentor To Help Teach You

“Having a mentor or support system in place can provide valuable guidance, encouragement, and accountability, helping you stay on track towards your goals.”

As you embark on your journey to set and achieve your goals, it’s essential to seek out a mentor who can guide and teach you along the way. Having an experienced individual by your side can offer invaluable insights, advice, and encouragement tailored to your specific needs and aspirations.

They can share their wisdom, successes, and failures, helping you avoid common pitfalls and make well-informed decisions. A mentor can also hold you accountable, pushing you to stay on track and reach your full potential.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone you admire or someone who has achieved what you’re striving for, as their guidance could be the key to unlocking your true potential and achieving your goals.

Increase Your Attention Span

“Developing a longer attention span is essential for setting and achieving goals, as it allows you to stay focused and dedicated to your objectives.”

The great thing about your attention span is that it could be increased. You could increase your attention span by:

Practicing meditation

At first it may be hard. When you first start out try it for 5 minutes. Then slowly build up to 10, and so on. When you do this you improve your ability to sit still and be in the present moment.

Exercise Regularly

A lot of people have no attention span simply because of the fact that they have too much pent up energy. Exercising regularly is a great way to get out that extra energy so when it comes time to work on your goals you could relax and do what needs to be done.

Say No More Often

You don’t need to say no to every little thing. However, if a friend asks you to do something and the something you need to do in regards to your goals pops up in your head, say no. Discpline yourself and focus on the task that needs to be done.

Track Your Social Media Time

As we stated above, social media lowers our attention span. When you could look at a funny video and get satisfaction within 5 minutes, it could be hard to work on a long-term project that has no short-term reward. To combat this, you should actively self reflect how much you’re on social media on a daily basis. The goal should be to slowly get that time down.

Conclusion

If you’re one of those people who struggles to get out and set goals, you now know the reasons why and how to get over them. If you have any other questions, feel free to write a comment below and we will have an expert answer waiting for you!