Good news is that scientists now confirm what we already know – our happiness, career, relationships, health and self-confidence can be easily improved by using Goal Setting.

Bad news is that  96% of people still fail to achieve their goals.

There are 3 main problems that come up again and again, keeping people from living the life they want and sabotaging their chances of success.

So what about you? Do you commit one of these three deadly sins when setting your goals?

Sin 1: Impatience

We all have this sinful dream – getting everything we want today! Now! This moment! Or better yet, yesterday!

In our age of instant gratification if we don’t see immediate results of our actions, it can mean only one thing – whatever we are doing doesn’t work. So we lose interest and move on to the next ‘cool’ thing that promises even faster results.

The problem arises when we combine strong desire to achieve our goal with impatience. Instead of carefully planning, we take massive amount of absolutely useless action.

Instead of doing it right the first time we screw things up, hoping to adjust them later.

As a result what was supposed to be an enjoyable steady road to success, turns into a series of rather painful failures and bitter disappointments.

Sin 2: Greed.

Greed usually comes from another deadly sin – impatience. Because we hate to wait for anything, we prefer to pursue several goals at the same time. Multitasking has really hit it off with goal setting.

It is a pity that no one has come up with idea to offer two goals for the effort of one.

Appealing, isn’t it? I would be sold!

Unfortunately, most things that sound too good to be true – are too good to be true. Sorry…

Behavioral and psychological research confirms that pursuing multiple goals is actually counter productive. In fact, setting more than two goals at the same time significantly decreases our chances to accomplish any of them.

Why?

Because it takes us three times longer to achieve them.

Sin 3: Procrastination.

A sin we are all guilty with.

It is similar to sloth, apart from one significant difference.

Lazy people don’t want to do anything.

People who procrastinate don’t want to do particular task, but they demonstrate miracles of productivity when it comes to sharpening pencils, making coffee, organizing the desk, and checking emails.

So, what's the solution?

Solution: Set a goal. Just one. Start with a small, short-term one. That’s a great way to gradually build self-confidence and prove to yourself that achieving your goals actually feels good.