Don’t Give Up on Your Goals—It’s Not Too Late to Start Again
By now, nearly 90% of people who set resolutions at the new year, have given up on trying to achieve them.
By mid-February, many people feel like their goals or resolutions are already a lost cause. Maybe you started strong in January, only to fall off track. Perhaps you never got around to actually starting at all. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The second Friday in January is known as ‘Quitter’s Day.’
Sträva, an athlete-focused social media company, found through their research that by that second Friday most people had already abandoned their new year’s resolutions. Thus, in 2019 ‘Quitter’s Day’ was born. While the research varies on how many people fully give up on their goals by the end of January, the numbers indicate that it can be as high as nearly 90%. That means 9 of 10 people have dropped their goals only thirty days into the year. Wow.
Just because January didn’t go exactly as planned doesn’t mean you have to wait until next year. You haven’t failed, you just need a reset. Goals and plans don’t have to start on a set date like the beginning of the year or the first of the month. You can start, stop, or adjust your goals whenever it makes sense for you. The best time to take action is when you’re ready to commit, not when the calendar says you should.
Charles Duhigg, author of the bestselling The Power of Habit, recently wrote a short article on the subject as well. Here is an excerpt from that supporting the same idea:
It’s okay to adjust your resolutions mid-month. In fact, it’s a good idea: Try focusing on something you want rather than something you don’t want. (“I’m gonna eat an apple every day” rather than “I’m gonna quit eating cookies.”) Also, it’s easier to start new habits than extinguish old ones. (To spend less time on your phone, carry a book rather than just deleting Instagram.)
Why Do People Give Up on Goals?
Most people don’t fall down on their goals due to a lack of willpower. It is the structure behind the goals or new behaviors they are seeking that fails them. Building a new support structure or framework for achievement will always lead to more success. We see it in most things we do in our everyday and especially our business world. If you want to keep the store shelves stocked, having a process is much more likely to ensure that versus hoping people notice when it needs to be done. Duhigg says, “the key to success isn’t just goal setting, it is creating the right systems to achieve it.”
We have all been there. Something happens, and it knocks us off track, and for most, that is the end of it. The train is off the rails, and we let it sit there. We don’t work on getting everything back on track. Or we set the goal, then when the time came to begin implementing it, there wasn’t a clear path on how to do that. (That happens with a lot of every day things as well.) Those are among the most common reasons people end up off the rails.
Here is a look at the four most likely reasons people will submit to ‘Quitters Day’, whether that is in early January or a few weeks later.
No Clear Plan – A goal without a roadmap quickly becomes overwhelming.
All-or-Nothing Thinking – One missed workout, one bad day, and suddenly, they feel like they’ve failed.
Lack of Progress – If results don’t come quickly enough, motivation drops.
Going It Alone – Without a system of accountability, it’s easy to give up.
Setting Too Many Goals — Too many things, same time, suddenly everything ends.
Solutions to get back on track
When you find yourself off the proverbial rails, you don’t have to remain in the ditch. Reset. And then go. It is mid-February when this article initially releases, but these apply to any day, any time of the year. Again, these are your goals and you are fully in control. March becomes a perfect time to review where you are at, and build a new plan for what you can still achieve. If you like date markers (though not necessary), you can begin now to establish your approach for the second quarter of the year that begins in April. Use the time to clearly define your primary goal(s) and then build the structure needed to ensure success. I have covered goal recovery before in Hitting a Wall With Your Goals? Do These 3 Things to Get Back on Track.
The three steps below offer a quick way that can assist in getting back on your feet and moving in the right direction.
Reassess your goals – Are they realistic? Do they align with what you really want?
Adjust your strategy – If your initial approach wasn’t working, tweak it rather than give up.
Recommit to the process – Focus less on the outcome and more on the daily actions that drive progress. Those daily actions and accomplishments can also fuel more dopamine (our brain loves to check things off a list) driven excitement and motivation for the next day’s tasks.
Success isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being persistent.
March: reset and restart with a framework
Having a system to support your goals makes achieving them far more likely. One of the best ways to do this is by breaking goals into smaller, manageable actions with shorter timelines, giving your brain those small wins that keep motivation high (thank you, dopamine). Another helpful approach is the SPRINTS method, which provides a structured way to build and work toward your goals.
SPRINTS — Strategic Prioritized Rewarding Impactful Next (steps) Timely Stretch.
This can be used with, or in place of, setting SMART goals. There is some overlap, but they do work well together. Here are some other benefits of taking the SPRINTS approach.
✔️ Making your goals specific and actionable
✔️ Building a clear plan for execution
✔️ Reflecting and adjusting along the way
✔️ Improving based on what’s working
✔️ Networking for support and accountability
✔️ Keeping goals time-bound to maintain momentum
To help anyone who wants to get back on track and reset for the rest of the year, with a framework for success, I am launching a 30-Day Goal Journey Primer in March. See additional information at the end of the article on how you can sign up to participate and get back on track (and stay there).
Having fun with your goals
If you want to create some fun for yourself or your team to achieve goals, using BINGO as is something I have found effective in my past. While this idea frames up an approach for the team to use, creating your own BINGO card with meaningful rewards for you could be a perfect way to ensure you are motivated to stay on the path you have set for yourself.
Reset and achieve
You haven’t failed; you’re just getting started. The people who succeed aren’t the ones who never struggle. They’re the ones who keep going despite setbacks. Resistance is real. Resilience moves you past it. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it: Decide today that you’re not quitting. Even if you’ve struggled, even if you feel behind, you are not too late. The best time to start was sometime before. The second-best time? Right now.
Are you ready to reset? Sign up for the 30-Day Goal Journey Primer and make March your comeback month.
Join the 30-Day Goal Journey Primer: Reset, Rebuild, Refocus
To help you get back on track, I’m inviting you to join a 30-Day Goal Journey Primer this March. This program is designed to:
✔️ Help you refine your goals and create a system for success
✔️ Improve your time management and planning
✔️ Build sustainable habits that last beyond short-term motivation
By the end of these 30 days, you’ll be set for success heading into the April–June period, enabling and empowering you for long-term progress.
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