This approach has been taken time and again by some of the most successful leaders, coaches, athletes, and thinkers. The solution? We can overcome our natural resistance to doing hard things by pursuing habits instead of goals. This explains why we spend so much of our lives swimming through wrecks of unfulfilled goals.

If we feel the effort outweighs the reward, we are tempted to give up. Our brains are constantly weighing the costs and benefits of our choices. Because goals often require us to engage in actions and behaviors that are new, they require significant effort. When confronted with challenges, those rewards play a crucial role in motiving or discouraging us. Recent research shows that when we set out to achieve our goals, we focus on the reward. And yet, year after year, the goals we set for ourselves end up feeling like chores.

You would think that activities rooted in self-care (I will go on a run every morning!), expanding our knowledge (I will read more books!), and building new skills (I will learn how to code!) would be fun, and even joyous, pursuits. Goals are famously hard to achieve, whether they are personal or professional. When we begin to do something every day, it becomes a routine, and eventually a habit. Focus on the small steps and make sure they fit into your schedule each day. Acknowledge and celebrate the small wins and the progress you make every day, that includes recovering from setback and learning from your mistakes. Recognizing this barrier is the first step to overcoming it. Worrying about doing something perfectly can stop you from doing anything at all.

It could include clearing your inbox before the end of the day, three times a day for 10 minutes each. Instead of setting a goal to get organized, think about what you need to do to be organized. Make them SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound.

Make sure your goals are clear, not ambiguous.

Your goal will also seem more realistic and achievable. This way you might get through a book or two a week, and eventually get to your goal. Set aside some time to read every morning or evening for 30 minutes. Instead of telling yourself that you’ll read 10 books over the next three months, weave reading into your daily routine.

Make your goals realistic instead of fantastic.

But we can overcome our natural resistance to doing hard things by pursuing habits instead of goals and releasing ourselves from the pressure of sprinting to the finish line.

Achieving our goals often require us to engage in actions and behaviors that are new and require significant effort.

The three mistakes of my life novel