Why Top Achievers Do Not Use Traditional Goal-Setting Methods

Have you ever set a goal and wondered why you couldn’t accomplish it? Probably—and you can bet that you are not the first person to feel this way. In fact, studies show that more than 86 percent of people who set goals fail. Of those who do succeed, a surprising 30 percent find they are not able to maintain that success long-term.

The truth is, the traditional goal-setting method—write it down, set a date, make an action plan and build the steps backwards from success—is no longer effective, even though most books, trainers, coaches and schools are still teaching it. Here’s why:

The traditional goal-setting method was developed in the late 1800s in the manufacturing industry: If you want to produce X number of units at the end of the assembly line, you need to do A, B, C, and D. While this method works well in factories, it will produce limited, short-lived results in the business arena.

The problem is that only the process is taken account with this method—there is no mention of the participant. But, for long-term success, being the right person is just as important as doing the right things. Without a significant change in our thinking, behavior and expectations, we can never develop a habit of success.

Get Clear On Why (Not Where) You Are Going

Many goal-setting coaches encourage their students to gain clarity on where they want to go in order to get there. Unfortunately, the definition of clarity in this context is incomplete when used to promote goal achievement. This is because many describe clarity as a description of the final destination—such as where you see yourself in 10 years. But anyone who has tried to define clarity this way has found that it is extremely difficult to describe where he or she is going without having been there before. Clarity is strongest when it focuses on an “inward now,” instead of looking at a “future destination.” Once you understand (and accept) that you can never really have a complete picture of your end destination, you can focus on why you are going there. The more personal the “why,” the more motivated you will be to achieve your goal. Most of the reasons why people fail to achieve a specific goal can be traced right back to this one point—without the “why,” no one really cares about the destination of “where.”

Think In Terms Of Running (Not Winning) The Race

It’s very interesting to see posters encouraging people to capture their success by crossing a finish line because true success has no finish line. Top achievers understand that success is a continual process, and the successes and failures of today are used to build the powerful experiences of tomorrow. Don’t focus on crossing a finish line today in order to rest tomorrow—instead, look for ways to build your successes into the next opportunity. Top achievers set their goals differently, and that is why they achieve successes that others only dream about.

Over the last decade, Douglas Vermeeren has conducted extensive research into the lives of more than 400 of the world’s top achievers. He understands how top achievers think and can use this to help you achieve to your goals instantly. Doug is also the creator and producer of the hit personal-development film “The Opus.” For more information, visit www.DouglasVermeeren.com and www.TheOpusMovie.com.