Why Your Goals Might Make You Unhappy And Stop You From Actually Loosing Weight

Many people believe that you must set a clearly defined goal in order to achieve something. But only some people reach their goals. So, what is the difference between people who achieve their goals and those who don’t?

Is it their skill? Did they set a goal which is simply unachievable? Is it something else?

Most people’s goals are often directly linked to perceived happiness. For example, it might sound like this:

The problem with this is that you won’t be happy until you have reached that goal and if you don’t achieve it you will see yourself as a failure, even if it was mostly a success (e.g. you lost 8kg instead of 10kg). Setting yourself up for failure takes away the pleasure of what you are doing and doesn’t help with long term success.

The difference between the people who achieve their goals and those who do not is often in how they approach their goals.

If you think of the above example, we know that diets generally do not work. You might lose weight in the short term but usually gain it back over time. So going on a diet is unlikely to help you achieve your long-term goal.

But what if you made small changes?

Instead, make changes that are easier for you to do and keep doing. For example:

• Instead of giving up alcohol, maybe aim to drink only once or twice a week
• Instead of following a very restrictive diet, try to add more veggies to your plate for each meal
• Can’t go for an hour’s walk each day? Try 20 minutes instead.

Each of these things will benefit your life without being unsustainable and without setting you up for failure. This strategy is more likely to get you where you want to be and you can feel good about the process as you go.

Small habits are the ones that accumulate over time to achieve lasting results. Instead of hindering your happiness, you will feel good about yourself as you move towards your desired goal. You can take pleasure now while you are making lifestyle changes, rather than hoping for a future success down the track.

What are some minor changes you could make today in order to make your life better in the long term?

We can help if you want to set yourself up with an achievable, personalised, and simple exercise plan. One that you can stick to even with life’s ups and downs. We like to think in terms of life long changes, rather than quick wins.

Big journeys begin with small steps!

Originally published at https://www.myhealthscript.com on June 19, 2023.