Women In Business - Do Goals Stress You?

The mere mention of setting and achieving goals can strike fear in the heart of many women in business. Although goal setting is an important success tool, many of us are apprehensive and reluctant to write out our plans for the future. Somehow, we’ve come to equate goals with stress and struggle.

So why do goals become uncomfortable and stressful? I believe many of us lose sight of the fact that goals aren’t etched in stone. Goals have the ability to be fluid and adapt to changing circumstances. Here are some of my thoughts about why goals stress us out:

1. Perfectionism – Goals are suppose to be positive and motivating. To a perfectionist, goal setting can add the additional stress of feeling judged. Perfectionism leaves very little, if any, room for error and not reaching a goal becomes a failure. Perfectionists place unreal expectations on themselves. Stress often comes from the internal pressure of being judged as imperfect.

2. Outside pressure – Coaching clients say that the goals set by others and over which they have very little control can be extremely stressful and nerve wracking. Deadlines imposed by a boss or a client can add additional and unwanted pressure to the goal setting process. I recommend sitting down with all parties involved and working out realistic timelines. If you believe a deadline is unrealistic, speak up and voice your opinion. Sometimes, the person writing the goal doesn’t have a clue about what it will take to make the goal reality.

3. Self-imposed pressure – There is a correlation between goals becoming stressful and unpleasant and negative self-talk. Yes it’s true, negative self-talk creates physical stress. What you say to yourself on a day-to-day basis can either motivate you to achieve or discourage and frustrate you into not wanting to go forward. The internal and emotional pressures you place on yourself can often produce frustration and discouragement.

4. Unrealistic expectations – How many times have you said to yourself, “Too much to do and too little time?” When it comes to setting and achieving goals, realistic expectations are vital for success. I believe a goal should stretch you to learn and grow but not break you. Do you set yourself up for stress? There are only 24 hours in a day but sometimes we try to cram too much into those 24 hours. When we don’t accomplish everything we set out to do, we begin to doubt our abilities. Is it any wonder goal setting becomes frustrating and stressful? The key is managing your time realistically. If you don’t achieve every thing on the to-do list, write a new list.

5. Past disappointments – When you write a goal, do you expect to succeed or fail? For some of us, goals equal frustration and failure. Past disappointments don't have to be a barometer of future successes. But if you keep doing what you’re doing, you’re going to keep getting the same results. Goals become stressful if you remain focused on what didn’t work in the past. Focus on what can and will work for you now and successfully into the future.

Goals are meant to be powerful motivators that keep you heading positively toward bigger and bolder successes. If goal setting stresses you, then it is time to figure out what is causing the stress. Take the pressure off yourself and know that goals are merely guideposts that will help you get from where you are now to where you want to be in the future.

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Sharon Recommends:

Here is an offsite link to my downloadable EBook and audio Do You Feel You Set Your Goals Too High? Here’s How to Achieve Them! Start achieving those BIGGER and BOLDER goals!

This audio and EBook course will help you stretch your comfort zone so you'll want to set and achieve those bigger and bolder goals. Learn how to take the stress out of goal setting!

You can click here for more information: Do You Set Your Goals Too High - Here's How To Achieve Them