{"id":23676,"date":"2023-01-02T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-02T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.appreciationatwork.com\/?p=23676"},"modified":"2023-01-01T20:42:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-02T02:42:49","slug":"overcome-the-two-main-obstacles-to-reaching-your-goals-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.appreciationatwork.com\/blog\/overcome-the-two-main-obstacles-to-reaching-your-goals-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcome the Two Main Obstacles to Reaching Your Goals"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Most of us don\u2019t need new goals for the year. Really, we don\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But we do need to continue<\/em> to progress<\/em> toward our current goals (and, hopefully reach some of them). Additionally, we need to make some adjustments from the feedback we are receiving from \u201creal life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In working with highly successful leaders for over two decades and interviewing them about what they believe contributed to their success, two principles rose to the top:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Persevering in the face of difficulties, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Responding to the feedback they received from the marketplace. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Most often, people don\u2019t reach their goals because they give up pursuing them. And, guess what?  When you quit pursuing your goals, you don\u2019t reach them. It doesn\u2019t take an engineering degree to reach that logical connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But what is the difference between perseverance and stubbornness, or being hard-headed? Or the difference between being committed to a goal versus being foolish – in the sense of pursuing an unobtainable goal not based in reality?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Largely, I think being able to distinguish the differences lies in wisdom and discernment \u2013 which we all desperately need. But partly, at least, we can learn by listening to the feedback we receive from the marketplace \u2013 particularly, what our potential customers want and what they don\u2019t<\/u><\/strong> want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Those who successfully reach significant goals seem to have both<\/em><\/strong> perseverance and<\/em><\/strong> the ability to make needed adjustments. They keep moving in the general direction they have plotted out, but they also watch for and listen to signs that indicate they need to make some changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The \u201cprinciple of one degree\u201d is often cited in navigating long-term trips — being off of your course by just one degree, over a long period of time, leads you thousands of miles off of your intended destination. Similarly, sometimes our goals are actually off the mark. And reaching your originally stated goals may not lead you to where you actually want to be. Listen for feedback like: \u201cYou could <\/em>do that, but \u2026\u201d or \u201cAre you sure that is what you really want?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Making just a few slight adjustments can have a huge impact on the result. Minor adjustments in the design of the product or process, in your costs and pricing, in your marketing message, or in reaching the right target audience \u2013 can all lead to success if<\/u><\/strong> you are asking for and listening to feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So, give up looking for the magic bullet new goal that is going to turn everything around or make you successful (however you define success).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why is this two-step process so important (and successful)? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    First, because unless you were really off-base in creating your original goals, they probably aren\u2019t that far off the mark, and you should continue to pursue them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But also, life changes over time<\/em> and you learn things along the way.<\/em> The world is almost certainly different than when you started this journey, and you need to take those changes into account. And while you have been traveling on your path, you have (hopefully) observed and learned helpful information and lessons along the way. You need to incorporate this new knowledge into your goals and how you will accomplish them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reaching Your True Desired Destination<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Recommit yourself to your overall direction. Continue to invest time and energy toward your goals. Also, actively pursue obtaining the feedback that will help you bring your goals into crystal-clear focus and fine-tune the direction you should go. But be sure and get input from those who represent (or really know well) your target audience, not just from family members, friends, or anyone who wants to share what they think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then<\/em> you will successfully reach the true, desired destination that you have been pursuing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Most of us don\u2019t need new goals for the year. Really, we don\u2019t.  But we do need to continue to progress toward our current goals (and, hopefully reach some of them). Additionally, we need to make some adjustments from the feedback we are receiving from \u201creal life.\u201d In working with highly successful leaders for over… Continue reading…<\/a>","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160,73,43],"tags":[2226,1001,2252],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nOvercome the Two Main Obstacles to Reaching Your Goals - Appreciation at Work<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Most of us don\u2019t need new goals for the year.\u00a0But we do need to continue to progress toward our current goals and hopefully reach them!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.appreciationatwork.com\/blog\/overcome-the-two-main-obstacles-to-reaching-your-goals-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Overcome the Two Main Obstacles to Reaching Your Goals - 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