What are the most effective ways to adjust goals when progress is not being made?

“JUST DO IT!” It might sound too simple, but Nike really has something here! It’s the goals upon which we spring into action automatically - without thinking too long, or questioning, or talking ourselves out of… …that we complete. Our brains can be our friend, offering us motivation and encouragement, but we can also talk ourselves out of goals. We can prioritize other things over our important goals. Research says that when we jump into action, rather than procrastinating, we find that the goal was actually not as difficult as we had made it out to be. Try to JUST DO IT! and see how that helps!

The practical approach to adjusting goals when progress stalls involves clearly aligning personal values and interests with the objectives. While tools and frameworks are valuable, it's essential to ensure that each step of the goal resonates with an individual's values. I've learned that employees tend to perform at their best when they see their values reflected in their plans. This connection boosts their confidence and motivation, fueling their progress with high energy. Furthermore, recognition and acknowledgment from peers and supervisors play a crucial role. This positive reinforcement encourages individuals to stay committed and motivated, even when faced with challenges.

While setting clear goals, consider your capability and skills vis-à-vis the challenge that you are committing to. If you have mapped these correctly, not only will there be a great sense of accomplishment in the end, but you will also enjoy the journey and make progress faster. This is when you are intrinsically motivated. A challenge too simple or easy, will soon lead to boredom while if the challenge is too difficult, it will lead to demotivation, frustration and cause anxiety. That's why Self awareness and evaluation is so important before goal setting. Adjust the goal to maintain congruence. Where you find a wide gap between the skill/ capability and the challenge, address this before setting a goal.

Pause a little and re-access you current situation. You may find out you need fresh information about your goal, need more network and collaboration or maybe you have drifted a little and needed to align back on track.

Make your target a 2-minute routine. Let's say you want to practice yoga every day, just lay your yoga mat, dress up in your exercise clothes, and be ready. Do this for 21 days. Automatically you will start doing Yoga every day after this as the habit is already formed. It is the first few minutes that is difficult.

Dedicate and block time on the calendar to reflect how well have you been progressing. What was done well, what can be done differently, and what else can be done. This is also a good timing to recalibrate your goals to make sure you have the right expectations and resources in place to avoid frustration if you have been consistently behind your targeted milestones.

As humans, we tend to focus on the negative and plow right through our successes. It's important to celebrate even the smallest triumphs. This could be as simple as tracking small wins in a journal. Partner with friends or colleagues daily to highlight and celebrate each other's successes. Focus on the positive. This positive attention will build confidence and lead to better outcomes.