Breaking Barriers to Achieve Your Goals

Have you ever found yourself struggling to achieve a long-held desire, despite having thought about it extensively? Whether it's a financial or relational goal or even a fitness target, it's common to face hurdles that prevent you from making progress. In my work with clients, I hear a lot of excuses that sound like legitimate barriers to success. For example "I don't have enough money to go back to school," or "I just don't have the time to pursue this goal” or “I can’t possibly achieve this goal, I don’t know how”. These are often deeply ingrained beliefs that have been repeated so many times that they feel like facts.

When you set a goal, you typically write it down and attach a timeline to it, and you do a little work on the goal but lose the drive to really put in the work. You wonder why it magically hasn't happened. Much of the time you may not honest with the amount of effort and work you have put in and you allow ourselves to blame others, time, and anything but yourself. This pattern can leave you feeling like you're not good at accomplishing goals, leading you to avoid setting new ones for fear of disappointment.

However, this resistance to change is completely normal and a product of your brain's love for the comfort zone. Your mind prefers the familiar, where  feel safe and secure. Venturing into the unknown and being uncomfortable with your lack of knowledge or expertise is challenging, as most people don't like being beginners. But, you can't become an expert without starting at the beginning.

So, what can you do to overcome these barriers and achieve your dreams?

1. You don't need to have all the answers to start. You can figure it out as you go.
2. Write down your goal and why you want to achieve it. Then, question your why repeatedly until you get to the real reasons behind your desire. Having a clear understanding of why you want to achieve this goal will help you stay motivated when things get tough. It provides a reminder of what you hope to gain from it, making it less likely that you'll give up.
3. Develop a specific plan for how you will achieve your goal. Break it down into daily, weekly, and monthly steps.
4. Check your progress regularly, but don't be tempted to change the goal if you're not seeing a linear progression.
5. Begin right now, no need to wait for the perfect moment
whether it's mid-week, late at night, or any other time, don't wait until next week or next month to start. Start exactly where you are!
6. Have fun with your goals

Achieving your goals should be a fun and exciting experience. One way to do this is by tracking your progress daily, noting how many times you were tempted to give up. Initially, this number may be high, but the important thing is that you overcame the temptation and completed the task at hand. The goals you set should not induce stress, instead, they should challenge you and push you to move beyond your comfort zone, which will ultimately help you grow. It is equally important to appreciate the journey towards your objective as the end result may not always lead to significant changes in your life. Keep in mind that achieving your goals won't instantly transform your life into a fairytale ending but you will feel successful in your accomplishments.

Try this out for yourself and follow these steps, you can overcome the barriers that have been holding you back and achieve your goals. Go after those dreams and goals because only you can make them happen.