18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

NEVER Reduce Your Goals

by Marco Moeschter
14 replies
Did you ever have a project in school where the teacher pushed back the due date?
Or been on a program in business, and when the project goes over-budget, the boss just raises the allocated budget immediately?

These scenarios- just like lowering your goals- should never happen.
If you say that your goal is to lose 10 mounds this month- and halfway through
you've only lost 2 pounds...

Is lowering your goal to 5 pounds the right answer? Or is the right answer to increase your efforts?

From personal experience- as well as that from my mentors- I can tell you that lowering your goal is ALWAYS the wrong solution.

If your weight loss is going to slow, you've got to pick up the pace. Eat more salads, walk more, stop eating sugar- whatever it takes.

If your sales projections aren't doing well, figure out a way to boost them. Don't lower your expectations!

This goes for any goal, period.

Don't change the goal just because things aren't going like you expected.
Instead, adapt, stay focused on the prize, and charge even harder towards it.
Because once you lower your goals one time, it just gets easier to do it again.
And again.

Before you know it- your goals don't really mean anything. They aren't goals anymore. Not really.

They're more like wishes that you review on a regular basis. To give another example-
If I just got laid off, and my goal was to make $1,000 by the end of the month so that I can pay the rent...
And by the 25th, I've only made $100.
Is the right answer to lower my goal to $500?
Of course not- because that wouldn't even let me pay the rent!
So what happens then? I don't want to go get thrown out on the streets.
On the flip side- if I keep the same goal- and just work harder to achieve it- I get to stay in my house!
#goals #inspiration #motivation #reduce
  • Profile picture of the author WebPen
    Great post Marco.

    I've personally done this, as well as been a part of organizations where this was done.

    It's definitely the wrong approach, as it's basically saying that wasn't your goal- it was a dream, or a wish.

    It's like the saying "If you shoot for the moon, at least you'll land among the stars if you miss."

    Similar to Internet Marketing and building a business. If you reach for $100K in a year but don't quite make it, chances are you'll still have done MUCH better than if you had aimed for $10K from the beginning!

    There's a great book on this called The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone that talks about this too.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9717051].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Marco Moeschter
      Originally Posted by WebPen View Post

      Great post Marco.

      I've personally done this, as well as been a part of organizations where this was done.

      It's definitely the wrong approach, as it's basically saying that wasn't your goal- it was a dream, or a wish.

      It's like the saying "If you shoot for the moon, at least you'll land among the stars if you miss."

      Similar to Internet Marketing and building a business. If you reach for $100K in a year but don't quite make it, chances are you'll still have done MUCH better than if you had aimed for $10K from the beginning!

      There's a great book on this called The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone that talks about this too.

      More than true. There is a nice quote: "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you'll land among the stars."
      Signature
      [FREE WSO] End your search for Traffic once and for all! Download Your 500 Traffic Source Cheat Sheet Now!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9731132].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Trey Morgan
    I agree, lowering targets is definitely not the right decision if you're serious about achieving your goals. Lowering your target not only lowers your motivation, but it also lowers your self-esteem.

    It is one thing to set a goal and come up short, but when you lower your target, you set limitations on yourself. There are no limits. You can achieve anything, but first you have to believe, and second you have to persevere. If you're going to change your goal, then you should increase it.

    “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”
    ― Norman Vincent Peale
    Signature
    [Affordable Coaching] How To Make Money Online Doing What You Love
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9722122].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Marco Moeschter
      Originally Posted by tvon View Post

      I agree, lowering targets is definitely not the right decision if you're serious about achieving your goals. Lowering your target not only lowers your motivation, but it also lowers your self-esteem.

      It is one thing to set a goal and come up short, but when you lower your target, you set limitations on yourself. There are no limits. You can achieve anything, but first you have to believe, and second you have to persevere. If you're going to change your goal, then you should increase it.

      "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
      ― Norman Vincent Peale

      You are right tvon if you change your goal than increase them instead of lowering. But most people don't think like that. They think not to aim to high otherwise they could be disappointed if they don't reach their goals but with that thinking they just tricking their selves.
      Signature
      [FREE WSO] End your search for Traffic once and for all! Download Your 500 Traffic Source Cheat Sheet Now!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9731171].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author thejimy
        I don't fully agree with you.

        It's not enough to just say "Don't lower your goals", when you have fallen back on your goals. This does not really help.

        In my opinion, what you should do is to research the reasons why some goal was not met or why it seems to be not able to reach it as thought. Only then, one can improve on achieving a goal better next time.

        Maybe the goal you set was too unrealistic or just not achievable in that timeframe? In that case, adjusting to a more realistic goal is required and not trying to stick to what can't be done. This could be one of the outcomes after analyzing the reasons of failing to achieve a goal.

        Why is this important? Because if you don't go this way down, you will keep failing again and again for the same (maybe to you unknown) reasons on your goals.

        Just trying harder to stick on something is not necessarily the right approach, without analyzing the reasons first.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9731794].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author rickdangelo
    Great post! I agree with this. I believe that goals should be kept as high as possible because if you ever achieve the lower goal there's a chance that you would stop striving for better.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9728195].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author C G
    Great post.

    It's a trick that the mind plays on us when we are having a hard time achieving our goals. It sort of convinces us that we should aim lower.

    Don't do it. Once you make a decision to work on something. Keep your word. No matter what.

    Cheers,

    C.G.
    Signature
    -------------------------------------------------------------
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9728448].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author somedevil
    Totally agree with this post. Lowering goals never got anybody anything. It just makes you even mroe complacent if anything.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9729265].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author grantveronica
    Lowering your goals will push you back into not trying to be better. You should always continue with high goals or everytime you achieve your goals, make a higher goal to achieve next time. Always strive to be better than what you already are.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9730582].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author debbiesherman
    Great post!

    I feel like lowering goals is limiting your capabilites as a person and I believe that you should never let that happen. Our goals must make us work hard to be better not the other way around.

    Thank you for sharing!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9730913].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author drem
    Setting goals that seem impossible is kind of a passion of mine. I tend to push myself even harder when a goal is too hard to reach. I would never consider lowering my goals. Instead, I redefine my strategy to obtain them and add in milestones along the way.

    However, there are goals that are unattainable due to flaws in organization and strategy. Redefine and keep your head down.
    Signature
    Premium Content by Real English Writers That Will Have Your Visitors Coming Back for More
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9733175].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author beastwood
    Banned
    Lowering your goals is pulling yourself down. It limits your abilities and it limits your success. Also Setting really high goals is quite good. You never know, you might surprise yourself.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9733375].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Andrea tang
    I agree with you，but sometimes things doesn't turn out to be that way.Say if my goal is earn 1000$ a week with limited budget (may be 200$), in the middle of this week I find out that I shall spend 300$ to achieve my goal,but you only have 200$ ,don't you think it is the situation to lower you goal?
    Signature

    Affiliate links are not allowed.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9733676].message }}

Trending Topics