Science says only 8% of people achieve their goals! Here’s how they do it…

Science says only 8% of people achieve their goals! Here’s how they do it…

via Inc.com by Marcel Schwantes

Did you know that a staggering 92 percent of people that set New Year’s goals never actually achieve them? That’s according to research by the University of Scranton.

I’ve done it many times, and if you’re like me — a driven, type-A entrepreneur — failing to meet goals can set you back and leave you discouraged and frustrated. (I even felt it as I typed that sentence.)

Here’s the thing: If you want to break the cycle, do what the other 8 percent of goal-setters — the successful ones — do consistently and exceptionally well.

Set goals that are specific and challenging (but not too hard).

Research by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham found that when people followed these two principles — setting specific and challenging goals — it led to higher performance 90 percent of the time.

Basically, the more specific and challenging your goals, the higher your motivation toward hitting them. That explains why easy or vague goals rarely get met.

Here’s an example: If your goal between now and the end of the year is to, say, lose 20 pounds, that  may be challenging, but it’s not specific enough.

Eliminate vagueness and make it more achievable by stating it this way: During the month of August, I will lose five pounds by cutting off refined sugar, breads, and all fast food. I will also walk briskly for twenty minutes every day.

When you have that much clarity around your goal, your chances of hitting the mark increase dramatically.

On the flip side, goals that are too difficult to hit don’t get met either. While it’s important to challenge yourself, nobody completes a goal when he/she is overwhelmed by facing a mountain they can’t climb.

If you find yourself with such a scenario, break down your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) into smaller bites you can actually chew. Use the same process of defining specific and challenging marks to hit when mapping out the smaller goals that will lead you to your final destination.

Questions to ask yourself: How challenging is this goal for me? Am I excited about reaching this goal?  Is it too easy? If so, can I make it harder without it overwhelming me? Is it too complex? If so, how can I break it into smaller parts so I don’t get overwhelmed?

Be passionate about your goals and committed to the end.

Simply put, the 8 percent of goal-setters who succeed want it, and badly. So ask yourself: What is my level of commitment? Are you totally sold out for reaching your goal? When obstacles pop up along the way, will you toss in the towel?

The 8 percent have an internal compass that keeps them locked in until they reach the top of the mountain. It’s a belief system of “do whatever it takes” that is intrinsically motivated at their core…

…Interested in more happiness and success? Then keep reading the full & original article HERE