I’m sitting here in my cramped Brooklyn apartment, surrounded by half-empty coffee cups and a notebook that’s basically a graveyard for my goal setting mistakes. Like, seriously, I’ve botched this so many times it’s almost a talent. The radiator’s clanking like it’s auditioning for a horror movie, and I’m staring at a sticky note on my laptop that says, “GET YOUR LIFE TOGETHER.” Spoiler: I haven’t. Anyway, I’m gonna spill the tea on the 10 goal setting mistakes I keep making—super personal, kinda embarrassing, and definitely human. Maybe you’ll see yourself in these screw-ups too.
Why I Keep Screwing Up My Goal Setting
I’m not some productivity guru, okay? I’m just a dude who’s tried to “manifest” a better life since, like, forever. Last January, I sat in a coffee shop in Williamsburg, sipping an overpriced oat milk latte, scribbling goals like “run a marathon” and “learn French.” By March, I was eating Cheetos on my couch, Googling “how to say ‘I give up’ in French.” My point? Goal setting mistakes are my brand, and I’ve learned a ton from them. Here’s the first batch of blunders I keep stumbling into.
1. Setting Goals That Aren’t Even Mine
I once decided I’d become a morning person because I read some article on Forbes (here’s a link) about how successful people wake up at 5 a.m. Spoiler: I’m not that guy. I set this goal because it sounded cool, not because I actually wanted it. My bedroom smells like yesterday’s pizza, and dragging myself out of bed before 8 a.m. feels like betrayal. Lesson? Make sure your goals are yours, not some influencer’s aesthetic.
2. Making Goals Vague AF
Oh man, I’m the king of vague. “Get fit” was my 2023 resolution. Like, what does that even mean? I pictured myself looking like Chris Hemsworth but ended up just buying new sneakers and calling it a day.
A Healthline article taught me to use SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound. Now I aim for stuff like “walk 10,000 steps three times a week.”
3. Overloading My Plate with Too Many Goals
I’m that idiot who writes a list of 47 goals in one sitting. Last summer, at a rooftop bar in Manhattan, I was tipsy on IPAs and decided I’d learn guitar, start a blog, and master vegan cooking. By fall, I’d strummed three chords and burned a tofu stir-fry. My kitchen still smells faintly of regret. Pick, like, two or three goals max, or you’ll crash and burn like I did.
Goal Planning Errors That Haunt Me
Okay, let’s get real. My goal planning errors don’t just stop at bad ideas—they get worse when I try to execute them. Here’s where I keep tripping.
4. Not Breaking Goals into Tiny Chunks
I once swore I’d write a novel. No plan, just vibes. I stared at a blank Google Doc for weeks, paralyzed, while my neighbor’s dog barked like it was mocking me. Breaking goals into small steps—like “write 200 words a day”—would’ve saved me.
5. Ignoring My Actual Life
Goals sound great until you remember you’re a mess. I planned to meditate daily while working 50 hours a week and surviving on bodega sandwiches. Like, bro, when? My subway commute is me doomscrolling X, not finding zen. A Psychology Today piece says to align goals with your real schedule. Now I sneak in five-minute meditations when I can.
6. Forgetting to Track Progress
I’m so bad at this. I set a goal to save $1,000 last year but didn’t check my bank account until I was eating instant ramen for the third night in a row. Tracking—like using an app or even a spreadsheet—keeps you honest. I started using a budgeting app, and it’s like having a judgmental friend who’s always right.
Messing Up Resolutions Because I’m Too Hard on Myself
Here’s where it gets raw. My messing up resolutions vibe comes from being my own worst critic. These next mistakes? They’re personal.
7. Beating Myself Up for Slip-Ups
Last month, I missed a week of my “no fast food” goal because a bodega bacon-egg-and-cheese was calling my name. I felt like a failure, spiraling into “why even try?” mode. But, like, one slip-up isn’t the end. I learned from a MindTools article to treat setbacks as data, not doom.
8. Not Celebrating Small Wins
I never pat myself on the back. I hit 5,000 steps a day for a week and was like, “Eh, not a marathon.” Meanwhile, my Fitbit was practically throwing a party. Celebrating little victories—like treating myself to a fancy coffee—keeps the motivation alive.
Setting Goals Wrong and Learning the Hard Way
These last two? They’re the gut-punch mistakes I’m still working through.
9. Chasing Perfection Instead of Progress
I wanted my side hustle to be flawless from day one. Spoiler: My Etsy store sold zero candles because I spent months tweaking the logo instead of launching. Progress over perfection, y’all. A Forbes article helped me realize done is better than perfect.
10. Not Reassessing My Goals
Life changes, but my goals didn’t. I stuck to “learn French” even after I moved to a neighborhood where everyone speaks Spanish. Revisit your goals every few months. I’m now learning basic Spanish phrases, and it feels way more relevant.
Wrapping Up This Messy Chat on Goal Setting Mistakes
So, yeah, I’m a hot mess when it comes to goal setting mistakes, but I’m learning. My Brooklyn apartment’s still a chaos zone, and my goals are still a work in progress, but sharing these screw-ups feels kinda freeing. If I can figure this out, you can too. Try picking one goal, breaking it into tiny steps, and forgiving yourself when you mess up. Got a goal you keep botching? Drop it in the comments or on X—I’m curious!
