Here’s the sad truth…by now most of you have abandoned or blown your New Year’s resolutions. Everyone begins the year with the best of intentions, planning to lose weight, get a promotion or a new job, or find a significant other. You have tremendous excitement and optimism that this will be the year. But how many people actually achieve their goals? Not surprisingly, the answer is, very few. In fact, Forbes online reports University of Scranton research that only 8% of people achieve their resolutions (Forbes.com, 1/1/2013).

It’s incredibly frustrating to set new goals, or revisit old goals, and not achieve them. There are many external reasons why some goals are not achieved: the stock market crashes, an organization files for bankruptcy, or an unforeseen family tragedy occurs. However, the reality is that most goals are not fully realized because of self-sabotage, not external conditions.

5 Reasons Why Goals are Self-Sabotaged…

1. Living in a Land of Delusion

Looking for a new job, asking for a raise, or seeking a promotion is never easy. But if you think it’s going to happen magically, you’re delusional. It takes hard work, planning, and perseverance.

2. Stuck in the Comfort Zone

Putting yourself out there is risky and rejection is always a possibility, but the only way adults grow and learn is by feeling uncomfortable. Sometimes, you must sacrifice comfort in order to achieve a goal.

3. Working Without a Plan

A goal without a plan is is nothing more than a wish that won’t come true. It’s not enough to wake up every day wishing for a new job; it’s about following all the steps of the job search process that will eventually lead to success.

4. Paralyzed by Fear

Fear of success and failure are the opposite sides of the same coin, and they are equally as paralyzing. What will happen if I succeed or fail? What will change? Without knowing the outcome, many people give into the fear and give up the goal.

5. Trapped Inside a Perfectionism Prison

Sitting on a professional board may start out as an admirable goal, but unless the conditions are perfect, many prefer to abandon the goal completely. It takes too much time and the evening or weekend meetings are inconvenient. People often sabotage a goal because it isn’t perfect enough to pursue.

If this is the year to finally stop the self-sabotaging cycle of behavior and start achieving your goals, then it’s time to learn the steps to goal-setting success.

5 Steps to Goal-Setting Success…

1. Set Measureable Goals

A goal is simply an allusive idea until you give it some metrics. Instead of saying you want a raise, give it an actual target. How much of an increase do you feel you deserve? By when?

2. Write Goals Down

A goal kept as an idea in your head doesn’t do you any good. A goal should be seen and heard, not kept a secret. By writing it down and posting it, you not only keep goals visible, but you create greater accountability. It’s much harder to forget or abandon a goal if you see the vision everywhere you look.

3. Establish Milestones

Rome wasn’t built in a day and goals aren’t achieved overnight. Pace yourself. Figure out the steps you need to achieve in order to achieve the goal. If you want to find a new job, then updating your resume, researching opportunities, and scheduling interviews are strategic milestones that set you up for success.

4. Get an Accountability Buddy

Achieving a goal isn’t easy and sometimes it’s easier to give up on the goal all together. However, if you have a friend, spouse, professional coach, or mentor giving you ongoing support, your chances of achieving the goal skyrocket. They hold you accountable, keep you on track, and help you celebrate.

5. Reward Yourself

A goal worth setting is a goal worth celebrating. Big or small, every goal should be celebrated with some kind of reward. Plan the reward ahead of time. If you get a new job, then pop the champagne. If you increase your clientele by 20%, then go out for dinner. Take a moment to appreciate your efforts, including the struggles and the triumphs that contributed to the success.

Don’t sabotage another list of New Year’s resolutions. With some strategic planning, unwavering commitment, and a support team cheering you on, you can turn your goal-setting sabotage behavior into success. And next year, you can set your sights, and goals, even higher.