Have you been making these 3 goal slaying mistakes?
Frustrated that you haven't achieved your goals in life or business? Are you making these 3 major goal slaying mistakes? #goalsetting #goals #slayyourgoals
Hold up, wait a minute.
Are you frustrated that you haven’t achieved your goals in life or business? That you’re stranded in planning land, unable to make your dreams a reality.
Could you not be making progress because you’re making these major mistakes over and over.
The tricky thing about these mistakes is that they’re subtle, almost like a subconscious gesture you don’t even realize you’re making. These aren’t the type of mistakes you make when you try and fail either, these major mistakes keep you on the bench. They stop you from trying altogether.
These goal slaying mistakes keep you in the waiting room, unable to get started, take action, or follow through on your plans and goals.
Table of Contents:
Goal Slaying Mistakes:
Each one of them is the result of a myth about achieving your goals. Commonly held misconceptions by almost everyone about what it takes to make it, well everyone but the people who are too busy slaying their goals. These myths are undercover, posing as common wisdom, so we believe them.
Most people fall for them at one time or another (and perhaps still do). From scrolling past someone you love to hate on social media and think “her life must be perfect” or think about getting started by concluding “now is not the right time.”
⚠ PUMP THE BREAKS! ⚠ Let’s stop making these mistakes.
Caution, here are 3 major mistakes you’re making that are preventing you from slaying your goals.
Are you making these major goal slaying mistakes?
⚠Mistake #1⚠
Thinking you need to have a PRECISE PLAN and GOALS before you can start.
Most people think that they need to know exactly what they want before they can get started. That they need to know all the steps before they can even begin. With every step, decision, possibility, outcome, and obstacles outlined neatly.
Are you waiting to have a precise plan before you get started? Maybe you’re waiting until you’ve made the right choice, or decided on your next move.
Perhaps you’re struggling to set specific and meaningful enough goals? And you’re not sure where or how to start so you’ve given up on goals entirely because you don’t know what they should be. “Peace out goals, I guess I can’t get started” you may not think exactly that, but by waiting that’s exactly what you’re doing.
➡ But guess what?! You don’t need specific and precise plans or goals to get started.
👉🏽 RELATED POST: The Problem vs. The Promise of Plans
Here’s why! People who believe that precise plans are required start planning, researching, and goal setting… and YEARS later… they’re still planning and researching. “How’s that plan coming, dude?”
They’ve planned themselves into a corner and just can’t get started. All dazed and confused, asking questions like, “where’s the starting line again? What was I even trying to do?” They’re completely overwhelmed and their plan is overcomplicated.
Do you know the feeling?
Are you caught in the planning trap? Or in indecision prison?
👉🏽 RELATED POST: Why You Need to be Setting Intentions Instead of Goals
I remember spending half a year unable to stop writing business plans, taking course after course, researching every tiny detail trying desperately to “figure it all out” before I started. And guess what, most of what I predicted didn’t pan out as I thought. And I’ve got plans for a business and charity I never started, collecting digital dust. Don’t waste the time!
You are not a corporation or a country, you are a person, you don’t need crazy plans to take action.
▶ You act, then you worry about the specifics later when you actually need to and have a better picture of what you’re facing. You can’t know this from the bench, you think you can predict it, build in contingencies and learn it all before you start. All you’ll ever know for sure is your next move and where you want to get. So stop waiting!
Are you making the mistake of creating precise plans? Or waiting to set specific and meaningful enough goals?
⚠Mistake #2⚠
Waiting for PRETTY PERFECT timing when you have more time, money and energy.
Most people think that they need more time, more energy and more money to achieve their goals. That their lives are too messy, with too many responsibilities and too much going on. That they just can’t!
Are you waiting to have an “Insta-pretty” life before you pursue your dreams?
Do you wonder if she’s successful because she has it easier than you? Like, “OMG their life must be so perfect, they must not have kids, a full-time job, homework or any other challenges” (in your best valley girl accent). Sounds ridiculous when you say it like that, but do you think a version of this when you scroll past her “insta-pretty perfect” life?
Maybe you’re sitting around waiting for PERFECT timing? For all your ducks to be in a row. Ducks being education, job, car, partner, house, dog… whatever your ducks are. We all have them.
➡ BUT, congratulations you have arrived already arrived! You don’t need a perfect life to achieve your goals. Perfect timing does not exist!
👉🏽 RELATED POST: Why You Need to Stop Stressing about Being Perfect
Here’s what happens to people who believe this they’re “busy” waiting for the stars to align, wishing for things to be better, for angels to sing and clouds to part. But years later.. They’re still waiting for their moment.
Thinking, “oh no, not me?! And certainly NOT now, I just cannot (insert reason here). When (mythical moment) happens.”
What’s your mythical when? Is it when you’ve paid off your debt, got a promotion, when the kids are older… when you’ve…?
The problem with when is that it always moves. One when becomes another. First, it’s when you get a better job, then it’s when you get a promotion and before you know it, it’s when you’re retired (which basically means never).
Is this you? Are you wishing on a star?
Are you waiting for “perfect timing”? When it’s the “right time” to take action?
👉🏽 RELATED POST: Why You’ll Never Actually Achieve Your Goals
Before I started It’s All You Boo, I was so down on myself about where I was. I couldn’t stop thinking, “why would anyone want to read about my messy life? Who cares about some chick who has no job and is figuring her ish out”? Especially when there are so many other bloggers out there already who are doing great. I wondered, what I could contribute. This kept me from getting started.
▶ It’s NOT a competition. I know it can feel like one, especially in the age of social media where we’re vying for likes and hearts from strangers. But it isn’t. You don’t need what others have, where you are right now is as “pretty perfect” as it ever needs to be. Until you embrace that, you’ll never achieve your goals. You’ll always be waiting for when. Starting thinking about today, and right now.
⚠Mistake #3⚠
Believing that you need to be PASSIONATELY POSITIVE about your goals.
Most people also think they just need to be “motivated enough” to get started. That when they “feel” like it and then they’ll do it.
That they need to be fearless and 100% confident that they can achieve their goal. This “can do, you can’t stop me” attitude.
We can feel the emotion of where we are now, whether that’s anxiety, stress, disappointment, regret, and fear, and think that we can’t get past it. That those magical people are doing their thing, slaying their goals, must just NOT have these challenges. “Why is she so happy, smiling all the time?” Once again, it sounds silly to say, but how many times do you think it.
Listen, I don’t know about you but I’m not one of those smiling all the time, positive 100% of time people. Sure I am in most of my photos, but you don’t see the moments between smiles. We all have self-doubt, we all wrestle with fear, you may not see it but I guarantee you that EVERYONE does.
➡ Good news, you don’t need to be this happy-go-lucky person in order to achieve your goals. You don’t need to drink the kool-aid and “pretend” that you’re not afraid, or anxious or worried. Life is real, you’re doing to feel the ups and the downs. BUT those feelings don’t have to stop you from taking action.
👉🏽 RELATED POST: 8 Motivation Killers You Need to Know About
What about this… Do you believe that staying power and following through is all about maintaining motivation?
Perhaps you set goals, then try to get passionate about achieving them. Have you ever done that – set big goals for yourself then been SO unmotivated to get started. Been there, done nothing.
The honest truth about motivation is that it comes and it goes. Motivation will NEVER get you to the finish line, even if it gets you out the door.
Are you waiting to feel motivated enough?
Thinking that maybe then if you could just feel that way, you’ll start, maybe then you’ll follow through.
I used to wait for motivation, thinking all I needed to be successful was to feel like it. I’ve realized and maybe you have too that it’s like predicting the weather… sometimes it’s sunny and you’re on and other things it’s raining and you’re NOT interested.
▶ Your emotions and feelings don’t have to stop or start you. You’re not the weather, there’s a most predictable, bankable way to get started and it’s called momentum. Moving, getting up, taking that first step gives you motivation. It doesn’t just hit you with a bolt lightninging out of the blue. Get up and get your motivation!
👉🏽 RELATED POST: 54 Experts Share How to Get Motivated
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Are you wishing and waiting and hoping for a plan, a perfect life or to feel passionate?
The time has come to stop creating precise plans, waiting for perfect timing and hoping to wake up passionate.
It’s time to S-L-A-Y your goals, not just set them.
What goal slaying mistakes are you making?
Last Updated on July 11, 2021
Jubilee D Meyer says
Love this! Especially #1. It can be so easy to convince ourselves we aren’t ready to pursue our goals, but the biggest thing is getting started.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Jubilee,
This is something I catch myself doing alll the time. Thinking that I need to be perfectly prepared before I can get started. The more I train myself, the more I’m willing to just get started and worry about the details when I need to.
Heather says
I am so guilty of waiting for the “perfect” time for things. Some of my nicest clothes go unworn because I’m waiting for some mystical special occasion! I’m working on it, lol.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Heather,
You and me both! I have an entire closet of “work clothes” but I’ll probably never have a job that requires me to wear them. Thing is I got them way before I even landed a real job. Oh how we like to over-prepare!
Shelley says
I have a tendency to want to wait for the perfect timing. The truth is — it’s just an excuse to procrastinate.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Shelley,
You are so not alone in this, I think we all do to some degree. The perfect time is right now!
Paulette says
Just go for your goals, you’ll never know if you succeed without trying.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Paulette,
You’re so right! Just do it, just get started!
kathleen says
i completely agree and sometimes procrastinate by waiting for perfect time….
thanks for sharing!!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Kathleen,
Oh how we do love to procrastinate and then call it waiting for the right time to start. Less waiting, more moving!
Kate says
I needed this when it comes to my blog/website! I keep ‘waiting’ to magically understand my goals and have a solid ‘plan’ ahead of me, but I guess you have to leap into it to discover where it takes you. Thanks for the inspo 🙂
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Kate,
YESS! Love hearing that, sometimes we just need to hear someone else say that we KNOW to be true.
You’ve got this, take that leap!
Amy Kennedy says
Great post! You are going to help a lot of people to start today! You are right, people wait and wait for the perfect moment and then so much time has past they could have been actually starting and reaching their goals!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Amy,
Aww, thanks so much for your kind words, I really hope so! I know for myself that realizing THIS is what really got me moving. Less goal setting, and more goal slaying!
Brittany says
I’ve come to realize that there is never a “perfect” time to do anything. It will all happen when it’s supposed to happen. Pretty much out of our control most of the time. But that’s the beauty of life.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Brittany,
There really isn’t! I know that when I’m waiting, and even just when I get started it can feel like “oh gosh, why did I decide to get started on this goal now.” Something ALWAYS comes up, that’s just the way it is! Make today perfect enough.
Anshika Juneja says
This is absolutely true, there is never a perfect time to reach the goals, each moment is a perfect, we should atleast try working towards it and it’s absolutely ok to commit mistakes. We always learn by our mistakes, we shouldn’t be ashamed of it.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Anshika,
Love that, “each moment is perfect”! So true, and like you say mistakes are all part of the goal slaying process.
Melissa Chapman says
This is a great post to help anyone achieve their goals and not get discouraged. I sometimes blame things on other people especially when I don’t get chosen for an opportunity. I think having a can do attitude is always attractive and helpful.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much! That’s entirely why I wrote this, to help others push on. Let’s not get caught up in things that don’t really matter, or play the blame game or feel guilty. Just get up and get going, no matter where you are.
Felicita Moncada says
I can definitely relate to many of these mistakes! I’m always waiting for the perfect time to do something instead of taking action! But now I am aware so I can start changing that! Sometimes just taking a step back and evaluating helps.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Felicita,
Me too – they’re my biggest ones! The more you realize this, the more you can learn to set your default settings to “take action.”
Melanie says
I am guilty of thinking that I need to have a precise plan before making any sort of move towards my goals. It is definitely a part of my personality, but I do need to work on not having every little thing planned before starting towards a goal. These are great tips!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Melanie,
Trust me when I say, we are all obsessed with planning. It’s the “easy” part for a reason. Yes, you’ve got it – less planning, more taking action.
Reesa Lewandowski says
I love mistake #2. I see so many people wait for everything to line up just right and all they do is watch life pass them by!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Reese,
You know it – we can’t sit around waiting, we’ve got to get in the game!
Joely Smith says
I go into things rather haphazardly and usually, things work out. I do feel at times I work harder or longer due to not having a more precise plan BUT in the meantime, I learn a lot more than I set out to and that is a good thing. I love your tips! Too much time is wasted THINKING instead of DOING!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Joely,
That’s so great that you’re able to just get started and stumble into success. Thanks for sharing, less thinking MORE doing for reals.
Censie Sawyer says
Ha! Perfect timing. THis one speaks to me on so many levels. I was always waiting for the perfect time to make a big move and now i wish I did it earlier. Sometimes us planners want to plan EVERYTHING! Not possible! lesson learned!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Censie,
Ha indeed! Me too, I waited and waited, I had every reason for why today wasn’t the day to get started. Eventually, I got tired of “making excuses” and just got going.
Ali Rost says
Loved your advice about not waiting for the perfect timing, as it’s never going to happen. I’ve learned that there’s no such thing as perfection and I just have to jump in and get started. Things always have a way of working themselves out as I go along. xx
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Ali,
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it! Don’t I know it, I’ve learned the hard way that waiting is not the game I needed to be playing. Just jump, it will all work out – couldn’t agree more.
Shelley King says
If there is anything I have learned there is no perfect plan and no perfect time. I believe you make your own time perfect. It only took me 44 years. I got married a month ago and we were going to wait for the perfect time. We went to the courthouse, got a marriage certificate, and got married. Perfect time!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Shelley,
I LOVE that you just got up and got married! I know when my time comes, I am not getting sucked into that planning and spending trap.
Roch says
Most speakers really do encourage participants to have a precise goal that is achievable (SMART). I think our minds are hardwired to think that way considering that our parents and teachers also taught us the same. It will be great to learn a new thing or two about goal setting.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Roch,
Can I be honest? I am so TIRED of hearing about SMART goals. They work for some people, but for people like me they don’t. I’ve made more progress with vague, heart-directed goals, than I’ve ever made with super specific ones.
Just go with the flow!
Heather says
Incredible tips. So much of achieving goals is in the planning <—–wrong. It's so important to truly use your current situation as the platform to strive for those goals. It's like when I hear couples saying they are waiting to have a baby until they are more financially secure and in a different home, etc. There is no perfect time for anything. It's always the perfect time when you just change your perspective. If you want it, go get it. Today.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Heather,
Haha, I absolutely LOVE how you put it. It is wrong! Yet for some reason, it’s the #1 tip that people give.
Great example about planning to have a baby, the problem with planning is that sometimes we sit around waiting for perfect timing, just to realize that it’s too late.
Let’s make now perfect enough timing instead. =)
Donna Ward says
Great information! We do so much to sabotage ourselves. I have several goal setting books. They’ve opened my eyes. Your doing a real service by helping people achieve their goals. I’ll come back to this site and read through more of the material.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Donna,
So glad you found this post informative!
Don’t I know it, we are and can be our worst enemies and be finding ways to not achieve our goals at every turn.
Looking forward to you visiting again!
Vicky says
I’m so guilty of number two! There is never a perfect time though, you will always find an excuse so may as well get on with it!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Vicky,
When you’re looking for an excuse, it will always be there! No more excuses, let’s take action.
CherishingFlo says
There’s no such thing as the perfect time. I say this all the time! The time to start is now! I love this list and you’re so right about being passionately positive all the time about your goals and I think thats where I struggle the most. I loooove this post 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Nadalie Bardo says
Thanks so much for the blog post love.
We don’t need to be crazy positive, all the time, just committed knowing that there will be ups an downs. That’s what helps me keep going!
Cara says
Thanks for getting my head right again! When starting a business, you do so much and can easily get frustrated and side-tracked!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Cara,
Haha my pleasure! You can, just focus on taking those baby steps every day. When you know what needs to get done, you don’t’ need to plan, you can just do it.
Michelle says
I always tell myself that the timing has to be perfect before I can do anything and I feel like so many things have passed me because I’ve done that. I’d say it’s great advice to tell someone not to wait for perfect timing — there’s no such thing.
Great post! x
Michelle
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Michelle,
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been telling myself this too with certain areas of my life, but I think I need to stop, and just get up and get out there.
There really isn’t! Cheers to making now perfect enough.
Amy Kennedy says
Great article! There are a few things I need to do for sure, at the moment beginning to assess where I can trim down on some things in life to focus more on my dream! Love your always upbeat, fun and truly helpful posts!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Amy,
YESSS, it’s time to get very clear and focused. I find that sometimes just writing out what my goal is over and over, each time trimming the unnecessary helps with this.
gail says
OMG, I soooo agree!! You gotta jump in before you are ready — you will never have perfect timing or the perfect scenario. Just jump in and figure it out!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Gail,
Happy jumping right into it, no more perfection just right now. You’re so right – you do figure it out!
emman damian says
For me, there’s no perfect time. Always start from scratch. You’ll get better as experience goes.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Emman,
Love that – just get started right where you are indeed.
kathleen says
love love love this article!
Nadalie Bardo says
thank you, thank you!