What to Know When Achieving Your Goals Feels Out of Reach

If you’ve ever set a really big goal for yourself, you know that there’s nothing quite as motivating as finalizing that goal. Writing it down on paper, pinning it up on your refrigerator, or telling your best friend about it really brings on the excitement. But what happens when that initial excitement wears off? Suddenly achieving your goals feels out of reach, and trying to keep going feels like a struggle.

We all hit road blocks at one point or another in our lives. Some of us encounter them early on as children, while others encounter them when adulthood sets in. Regardless of the circumstance, experiencing road blocks at some point in life is inevitable. We all struggle to keep going through certain challenges. One thing after another knocks us down, and suddenly we find ourselves feeling like a failure.

There is nothing worse than looking at your ambitious goal each morning and feeling like it will never happen. Or even worse, finding yourself too afraid to commit to a goal because you’re scared of failing. So how do you find a balance? A balance between setting goals that are unrealistic, and setting big goals that will stretch you and challenge you (but ultimately help you become a better person).

Goal setting can be tricky business. Finding a way to set big goals that push your limits, yet feel attainable is a really challenging feat. Despite the possibility of failure, setting big goals that seem out of reach will push you out of your comfort zone to learn and grow in new ways – regardless of whether or not you achieve your goal. Even so, achieving your goals may not be as impossible as you think. Here are a few things to remember after you set your goals to keep going and stay motivated.

What to Know When Achieving Your Goals Feels Out of Reach

Remember that there was a first time for everything.

Even though you may not remember it, there was a first time you read a book, first time you drove a car, and first time you started a new job. When you set your goals and they feel out of reach, remind yourself of the future, when you will be able to look back on the first time you accomplished this and smile.

Any goal doesn’t seem so big once you’ve broken it down into small steps.

Running a marathon doesn’t seem so challenging when you look at your training plan and see that tomorrow you have to run 3 miles. Losing 20 pounds doesn’t seem so difficult when you realize that you need to lose just one pound this week. Breaking down big goals helps make them feel more attainable.

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Remind yourself that each little effort towards achieving your goal is one step closer.

When you choose an apple over the candy bar? That may feel like an insignificant choice in the scheme of things, but will ultimately get you one step closer to losing that weight. When you read a book to learn about a new way to make money, that is one step closer to starting up your own business.

There are going to be failures and set backs.

Even if you achieve your goal with flying colors, no doubt there will be set backs that occur during the process. No accomplishment comes without a few bumps and bruises along the way – and if it did, it probably was too easy for you to begin with. Realize that pursuing your dreams is worth the struggle and continue to persevere to make them happen.

Others have done it before, and you can too.

Find support from those who are working towards something similar, or implementing a major change in their life as well. Tell your friends, family, and neighbors about your goal. Creating a positive atmosphere that is conducive towards achieving your goals will help you stay motivated and keep going when you have a set back.

Remember why you set this goal in the first pace.

It does take work and personal accountability to accomplish any goal, especially a big goal. While you no doubt felt the inspiration when you originally set your goal, remind yourself frequently why you started and what this goal will do for you. Achieving this goal will change your life in some way, and the work you put in to get there will be worth it in the end.

Keep going. Persevere. Don’t give up.

Goal setting is just the first step – but the process is the most important part. Even if you don’t fully accomplish your goal, you are going to accomplish so much along the way. If you set out to run a marathon and never make it to the starting line, no doubt you ran more miles than usual along the way. If you set out to get a new job but never land one, no doubt you developed a better understanding of your own happiness along the way. Never give up.

There’s truly nothing like the feeling that comes from achieving your goals and accomplishing dreams you never thought possible. I am such a firm believer that we make life what we want it to be, and am slowly realizing that there is so much more than being content. While feeling comfortable is a great blessing many times, there are other moments where we need to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone. Setting big goals may feel scary at first, but with a little planning and perseverance reaching those goals might suddenly feel possible.

Further goal setting reading:

• Running Goal Setting That Will Make You Proud
• Motivation for When You Doubt Yourself
• How to Make (and Keep!) a New Year’s Fitness Resolution
• What to Do When You Finish Your Goal Race