Fifty-Percent Complete

Many people fail to achieve their goals because they think goals must be difficult. One huge lie perfectionism tells you is that goals don’t count if they’re fun. Scientists and others who study goal setting look at various factors, including satisfaction and performance success, measurements tha...

Information helps you measure any number of things related to your goals: time, products sold, pounds lost, miles run, how much money you saved, and the like. Pick one to three aspects of your life to measure. You may be tempted to measure more, but start small and win big.

See how simple ...

Unlike emotions, data don’t lie. Use data to measure your progress. Data clarify where you are, but you may find them hard to use. Ignorance is bliss. It’s so much easier to avoid checking your bank account, stepping on a scale, making doctor appointments, and so forth. Data will tell you, for ex...

An alternative to saying “until” is saying “if…then.” It sets up a different form of procrastination.

You procrastinate or don’t start working because you’ve set an imaginary clock or pre-goal for yourself and waiting for that to happen, you come to feel as if it’s too late to start toward...

Noble obstacles are chores you must finish before you can attack your real goals.

Noble obstacles often rely on the word “until” – as in, “I can’t do my taxes until I know what kind of business I’m really trying to build” or “Karen won’t start her blog until she’s checked in with a copyrigh...

Sometimes your hiding places – where you go to avoid work – are easy to find, such as watching your favorite show on Netflix when it’s time to clean the house. Some hiding places are sneaky; you think you’re being productive by emptying your inbox, but you’re actually avoiding writing your blog. ...

Be careful how you package your fun. People respond, in general, to two types of motivation: reward and fear.

Some people live for the reward. When they know what they want, their instinct drives them to achieve. For example, paying off their debt gives them the freedom to...

Time is your most valuable resource. To achieve your goals, pour that resource into your efforts. That means prioritizing where and how you spend your time. When you grant some of your time to one goal, of necessity you take that time from another goal. You can’t have it all no matter what you tr...

Research says that setting realistic goals leads to much better performance than setting overly aggressive targets, but what happens in the workplace where you don’t control the timeline? You may want to have a conversation with your boss about the utility of setting achievable goals.

Getting started is hard, but it’s easier than finishing. You may have a bunch of half-finished projects and other half-done stuff. Many people make New Year’s resolutions, but research says that 92% of these intentions falter and fail. 

More than likely, you’ve spent most of your life c...

• People respond to two types of motivation: reward and fear.
• Perfectionism keeps people from finishing their goals.
• Most people quit as soon as life interferes or things get too tough.
• Starting toward your goal on Day 1 isn’t the most important step. It’s getting past ...

Perfectionism will do its best to knock you down when you work on a goal.

Excuses are camouflage for perfectionism. You weren’t perfect, so you threw in the towel. You’re not alone.

Everyone wants to get straight As. Nobody aims for Bs and Cs. But ...