Why do so many fail to achieve their goals? The answer might surprise you.

Why do so many fail to achieve their goals? The answer might surprise you.

I recently had a revealing chat with an old friend.

He shared with me his 3 goals.

Get in shape.

Be happier.

Save money.

While noble, I felt his goals were too vague.

I asked him, “How will you know if you’ve achieved these goals?”

He looked puzzled.

The conversation revealed to me the importance of clear personal and business goals.

I often encounter agencies and consultancies with vague ambitions.

I want to “grow the business.”

But when I dig deeper, I find they lack specifics.

No target revenue.

No specific number of clients to win.

No timelines.

How can one achieve their goals if they aren’t sure what they are?

I rephrased my question to my friend.

Instead of “get in shape,” why not set a goal to join a gym and attend 3 fitness classes per week for the next 3 months?

Instead of “be happier,” why not commit to writing down 3 things you’re grateful for every night for 2 months?

Instead of “save money,” why not set aside $200 from each paycheck into a savings account for 1 year?

It’s the same for the firms I advise.

Instead of “grow the business,” why not reach out to 1,000 companies in the next 6 months and win $1 million in revenue by year’s end?

In my experience, you can’t hit a target you can’t see.

You must define clear, measurable, and time-bound goals.

You must know what you’re aiming for, track progress, and adjust actions accordingly.

It’s hard to find what you don’t know you’re looking for.