What's REALLY Stopping You?

by Valerie Hylen

If you are having trouble getting started on a goal or are feeling stuck, chances are it is because of one of the following:

1.     Not having a clear enough goal – if your goal is not clear, it is easy to not get started. Take the time to write your goal as descriptively as possible in the present tense!

2.     Not having a big enough or clear enough “why” this goal is important – the reason for any goal is because of what we will experience in our lives when we accomplish it! Write down your “why”. What will this goal mean to you and your family? What will it FEEL like to accomplish your goal? Write as many things as you can possibly list in the present tense as if you are already experiencing and feeling this success.

3.     Limited amount of time – everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, so you too can FIND the time to work on your goals, but taking CONTROL of it! Where are you currently wasting time? On the phone too much, TV, sleeping an extra 30-60 minutes, doing everything yourself? Examine how you have spent all your time in the last 2 weeks. YOU are the one who gets to DECIDE how your hours and days are spent. What can you multi task better? What can you give up? What can you delegate? What can you pay someone else to do? Where could you lower your standards? Can you not answer the phone or emails until you have time? Can you leave work 30 minutes earlier if you eliminate the time wastes in your day? Carving out even 30 minutes a day can put you on track to reaching your goals!

4.     Lack of money – Where can you cut expenses? Are you buying coffee, cigarettes, expensive wines, convenience foods, or eating out a lot? Can you take a part time job (even babysitting in the evening)? What is in your closet or around the house that you could sell at a garage sale or on eBay? What skills do you have that others would pay you for? Can you put in some overtime at work? Can you get investors? Mastermind with friends to see how you can find money to work toward you goal. Can you start with a smaller goal?

5.     Fear – of success or failure – there are lots of inspirational books and CD’s to help you through this one

6.     Not knowing how to start or proceed – Mastermind, get a mentor or coach

7.     Lack of certain skills – take a class, get a mentor or coach, pay someone to do the things you do not know how to do,  or study to learn these skills

8.     Self doubt – the gremlins have got you – This is usually a biggie, but can definitely be overcome by changing what you are saying to yourself about you! Lots of great books to help you through this. Head directly to your local bookstore. To save time, listen to CD’s. By changing your thoughts, you change your self talk. This will change your beliefs, and your beliefs govern your actions.

9.     You’re overwhelmed by the enormity of the project. Begin by breaking each step into tiny action steps. The hardest part is getting started. If you can break down the action steps to feel doable, it becomes easy to get started

10.                        Lack of a support system – get a mentor, a success coach, or start a mastermind group, and ask for support from your family.  Study how others have succeeded and worked through the above stumbling blocks

Fortunately, each of the above problems can be solved, and you can get going toward your goal. The first step is to identify which of the above is your biggest obstacle, list some solutions to that obstacle, break the solutions down into doable steps, and start to take those steps – even if it is baby steps! Before you know it, you will be on your way to achieving even the biggest of goals!

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