Obstacles to Achieving Personal Goals - Free Essay Example

In life, we set goals with the aim of accomplishing them within the shortest time possible. We always dream of bettering our lives in different ways from health, academics, finances, relationships, marriage, or parenting goals. In the course of attaining or bringing these goals to reality, we face different obstacles and shortcomings that either delay or inhibit the timely actualization of such goals (Sriraman & Kellams, 2016). I will address several personal obstacles that have always stood in the way of making my dreams and set goals come true. Also, I will dwell on some of the strategies that I have always employed to overcome them.

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The first obstacle that I have always had to fight is procrastination in my goals. I always keep pushing my goals forward, waiting for the right time and resources that can make achieving them easier (Orlick, 2015). I came to understand that this date is never specific and therefore provides no time frame for achieving the goals. The solution to procrastination has always been drafting a clear plan and time frame within which I plan to achieve it. This helps to harness the required resources within the expected time and actualize the goal without delay.

Another problem with actualizing goals is waiting for the right time to take action. We always find it challenging to start working on our goals because we still think we are never ready and always waiting for the perfect time to start. It is unlikely that we will gain inspiration suddenly from nowhere. To overcome this challenge, one needs to change their behavior and approach towards the goals (Oettingen & Gollwitzer, 2010). Always take immediate action once the goal comes into the picture because immediate action helps to create inspiration and motivates the ambition to achieve more.

Not putting into consideration the existence of difficult times and challenges towards achieving goals is another obstacle towards realizing goals. We always set goals without anticipating shortcomings and hindrances that might delay the achievements. It makes many people give up on their goals once frustrated by stumbling blocks. It is good to realize that the road to success is always rough and picture potential drawbacks that might challenge your efforts in achieving them. This helps to draft a possible plan for dealing with the shortcomings and encountered along the way (Sriraman & Kellams, 2016). A counter plan boosts your confidence and minimizes the chances of giving up on your goals.

Viewing mistakes and shortcomings as failures also derail the efforts towards achieving goals. Sometimes we become overconfident in ourselves and forget that man is to error, and we are prone to mistakes. With this mentality, we make mistakes as drawbacks and feel like we have gone back to the initial step with no progress. It is good to realize that progression is not linear, and there will be mistakes, but that is not the end of it. Rather than declaring mistakes as failures, classify them as some of the ways that can't lead to success and create another plan to get things back on track (Oettingen & Gollwitzer, 2010). Not prioritizing goals will also be another obstacle to realizing the set goals. We always set ambiguous goals without being specific on which section of the goal to focus. For instance, the kind of marriage goals we can behold, and we would pick a stable one (Orlick, 2015). Also, the type of wedding or the number of children matters a lot in such instances. Therefore, narrowing down goals will help one to specify which step to take daily towards realizing the goals.

To achieve goals within the specified time without difficulty and to avoid giving up on the way, one needs to set realistic, achievable goals. It is also good to anticipate failures and rejections in pursuit of our goals. Prioritizing goals and having a backup plan in case of failure also boosts our confidence when met with challenges while actualizing our goals.

References

Oettingen, G., & Gollwitzer, P. (2010). Strategies of setting and implementing goals: Mental contrasting and implementation intentions (pp. 114-135).

Orlick, T. (2015). In pursuit of excellence. Human Kinetics.

Sriraman, N. K., & Kellams, A. (2016). Breastfeeding: What are the barriers? Why women struggle to achieve their goals. Journal of Women's Health, 25(7), 714-722. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2014.5059