Setting your mind to something and achieving it is a feeling unlike any other!
As exciting as it is, I think it’s important to acknowledge it can be a difficult journey to get there. Life is ever-changing and we often find ourselves in some unexpected situations.
As a result, it can get in the way of things that we want to accomplish – big and small. Many of those things seem to be out of our control and it can be difficult to manage what time we have leftover in our days to work on specific goals.
When I thought about some of the core things that can hold us back, there were a few that really stuck out to me. These are things that are within our control, but I think every one of us has experienced them over and over again. I certainly have!
My hope is that by naming these stumbling blocks to goals, we can begin to truly move past them together.
Old Habits
When you begin goal-setting, you tend to have a bright outlook on a goal and often you feel excited. You are ready to make it happen! However, as time progresses, the resistance phase tends to set in.
What is the resistance phase? It typically starts in the beginning stages of implementing the work to achieve the goal you’ve set. New goals usually require new habits to be developed, and that sometimes causes us to push back on the new habits and revert back to the old, or familiar habits.
Those old habits can most certainly become stumbling blocks to goals.
Our habits are our foundation for not just specific goals, but for our lifestyle as a whole. It can be difficult to change those habits. It takes a conscious choice to do the work necessary to achieve the new goals you’ve set, even when you would rather be doing something else.
The truth is, in order to achieve your goals, you must welcome sacrifice into your life. There is always a tradeoff with time. For example, if you choose to work on a blog post, you’re giving up time that you may have decided to watch a tv show or read a book, vice-versa.
People’s Expectations
Have you ever let someone’s expectations affect you? If so, you’re not alone!
When we have people in our circle expressing their opinions of what we should or shouldn’t do, it can really play a pivotal role in our life. While this can result in a positive and uplifting experience from our biggest cheerleaders, there are always those opinions that are expressed and received negatively.
To put it simply, allowing others’ expectations to interfere in your life is not helpful. Especially if you find yourself stressed to the max trying to keep up with their desires for your life.
This is very tough for my fellow people-pleasers, and it is something that I constantly have to remind myself about. Think about what you truly want for yourself. That’s where your precious energy needs to be placed, friend. Release the burden of all of those expectations.
Self-Doubt
Even though I saved this one for last, I think this just may be the most detrimental of the three.
Your goals often hang in the balance not because you don’t have the talent/work ethic to accomplish your goals, but rather because you don’t believe that you can do it.
With some deep inner work, you can find ways to combat this self-doubt. It does take time and a continual effort, but when you find ways to retrain your brain when those negative thoughts arise, you will reap the benefits.
I try to have an immediate counter response to my negative thoughts, like I can do it, I do have what it takes, my hard work will pay off, etc.
My hope is that you found some takeaways from the three stumbling blocks to goals I shared, friend.
I’d love to know if you’ve experienced any of these, and hear any helpful tips you have to push past obstacles.
These are good points – especially that last one! often we can talk ourselves out of changes we can do because we think we can’t! But until we try we will never know, it’s worth trying something and trying to ignore that self doubt!
Hope you are having a good week. We are enjoying the Easter school holidays 🙂
Thank you so much, Mica! 🙂 I agree with you, it’s all about taking a leap of faith and just seeing where it goes. It’s so much more worth it than to chance regretting it later on.
I’m so happy you enjoyed your Easter, friend!
Agree with all of this!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
Thanks so much, friend!
You always come through with the motivational post my friend. Self doubt is definitely a killer, but getting there by the grace of God.
Have a blessed week, Ashley. 🙂
https://www.missymayification.co.uk
Aww, thank you so much, my dear friend! You are so kind. 🙂 I am right there with you, God is so good and helps us right along.
These are substantial stumbling blocks, and I love the tips you share here! Especially about focusing our energy on what we truly want and having counter-responses to or reframing our negative self-talk, these have been game-changers for me. Your posts are always amazing, and thanks very much for sharing my self-care gifts post, Ashley!!
Martha
Thank you, Martha! I agree with you, both of those truly make a difference for me too. I appreciate you SO much, and I am always happy to share your posts!! Yours are fantastic – just like you! 🙂
Good post! You certainly hit on one of my primary stumbling blocks: old habits. Old habits are the familiar, the known entity. They can also be the harbingers of repeated setbacks.
Thank you! Those old habit are truly so tough to break, it takes daily progress to really build up against them. As you said, they are familiar and what our entire being is used to – so we usually want to stay in that comfortable place. But it’s so nice to know we can push past them if we continue trying hard and working towards creating habits that serve us better.
Very interesting post
Aww, thank you Malindha!
Thanks for addressing all of this. My problem is managing everyone else’s expectations. They probably aren’t there but I assume that they are and get stressed. Great post Ashley!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you for reading, Kathrine! 🙂 I can relate to that very much, it can be a heavy burden.
I think it’s so important to bring these “little” stumbling blocks up because they can totally derail your progress and make you feel like a failure- when in reality, they’re a normal part of managing goals and working toward ’em. Great read!
Hope you’ll swing by my new post and check out my blue floral dress- celebrating some springtime weather!
-Ashley
Aww, thank you so much Ashley! They can quickly derail us, but you are absolutely right, they play a very normal part of the process. It’s just about not letting them get in the way so much that we don’t go after what we truly want.
I loved your post – it was a beautiful dress, dear friend!
Wow! Thank you for this! I love writing out my goals, but it’s a lot easier to get sidetracked nowadays. Have a lovely weekend!
PerlaGiselle | iamperlita.com
♥ | INSTAGRAM
You are more than welcome! Thank you so much for reading. 🙂 You are so right. We have a ton more distractions that seem to come up each day, so it can be difficult to zone in on what we truly are looking to do.
Hope you have an amazing weekend, friend!
I always love motivational posts. This post is really amazing and full of motivation! Wonderful Post! Have a great day!
Rampdiary | Fineartandyou | Beautyandfashionfreaks
Oh, thank you so much Jyoti! 🙂 So happy you enjoyed this post, and I hope you have a fantastic day!
This is such a great and helpful post. I really love to jot down all the goals, but when it comes time to work on them there is a lot of hurdles! I have struggled with all three of these! I think self doubt is what I struggle with the most. And, part of that comes with being a perfectionist. If it isn’t perfect, I’m not happy with it! So, sometimes I’ll spend a lot more time on something than I need to!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Thank you so much, Carrie! I can relate to that, there always seems to be something that comes up that sort of causes our plans not to work out just the way we had put them together. But we pivot and do our best. 🙂 You and I are true enneagram sixes! The perfectionism is tough to beat, it’s definitely something that is always a work in progress. I know you do an amazing job at anything you do! 🙂
These are great points! I agree that our self-doubt and limiting beliefs are the things that are the biggest thing standing in our way. And I can totally relate to people’s expectations too, I recently told someone close to me about my blog for the first time and it’s been over a month and she hasn’t said a word to me about it. It’s been disappointing but I’ve had to let it go because she’s not my audience and whatever she thinks of it doesn’t matter as long as I’m helping others.
Martha
http://www.joyfulstateofmind.com
Thanks so much, Martha! I feel for you. I’ve felt hesitant with sharing a lot about my blog too with people who close to me in real life, I think for fear that this can happen. But I think the most important thign is to remember that we can’t allow their opinions to sway us or make us believe that our blogs are less-than, because they’re truly not. Your blog is phenomenal and it is absolutely like you said, it makes more room for the people that truly are YOUR people. <3