S.M.A.R.T. Your Dreams: Stop Sabotaging Your Success

Overcome Self-Sabotage and Unleash Your Full Potential with Strategic Goal-Setting

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Stop Sabotaging Your Dreams: There is no perfect time to begin working toward your goals. Take a deep breath and start.

S.M.A.R.T Goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Based) are proven and useful. But what happens when even knowing what to do and doing what you know is still an issue? Are you self-sabotaging?

Self-sabotage is the mind's way of defending itself. Often, we don't even realise that self-sabotaging has become a habit—a means of safeguarding against the success of our goals and the fear that comes with it.

But first, we must recognize that we are indulging in this habit. It may feel like self-protection rather than harm.

Stress, negativity, and a lack of self-worth are some of the reasons we stop ourselves from working towards our goals. Small meaningful changes can help break these negative habits. "If small changes work, I'm going to change the biggest ones first!"

I've had many conversations with myself, knowing that making huge changes all at once would be overwhelming and would likely lead to giving up.

Another acronym I've discovered for sabotaging working goals is H.A.L.T. risk states: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. My trigger was usually being overtired, working when the family had gone to bed, telling myself, "As a night owl, I work better at night," or "I like the silence of working in the early hours of the morning." But in reality, all I was doing was working with depleted energy.

There is a phrase that is often quoted by Iyanla Vanzant which is written in 'A Course of Miracles' by Helen Schucman.

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When you give to others to the degree that you sacrifice yourself, You make the other person a thief.

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We convince ourselves that all tasks have to be done by us, which can lead to HALT, negative thoughts, and ultimately self-sabotaging our goals.

One small change I made was to monitor my sleep patterns. Getting enough rest is crucial for my well-being. I listened to a two-part podcast called "Feel Better Live More" with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, where he talks with a world-renowned Sleep Researcher, Matthew Walker, about his book "Why We Sleep." Part 1 & Part 2. It provided a fascinating insight into the adverse effects lack of sleep can have on our productivity, physical, and mental health.

Create a 90-day plan – a visual goal map.

Detail a list of tasks that need to happen over the next 90 days. Consider making your first 90-day goal a project that is attainable within this timeframe. Break the tasks into 30-day targets to make the plan manageable and avoid becoming overwhelmed while still making progress.

As you set out your next 30 days, consider the resources you can incorporate to help you achieve your targets. There are numerous podcasts, books, webinars, and YouTube videos available, but don't hesitate to seek professional assistance to maximise the time you've set out. They can even become part of a group that holds you accountable, like peer coaching.

Call in resources to help lighten the load. Professionals like virtual assistants can help you accomplish tasks at a higher level, allowing you to reclaim your time. Work with the results they produce.

For instance, if your goal is to write a book, your resources could assist with researching publishers, agents, growing your social media presence, or creating graphics for your platforms.

Lastly, carefully choose who you share your goals with, as not everyone will be encouraging or wish you well. Build your support team with the right people who will keep you accountable.

Believe in your progress.

- Glen