When pursuing a new goal, people tend to focus on what new habits or routines they’ll need to start.

This is the obvious way to start working toward a goal: I have a goal, and I’m coming up with the actions I need to take to achieve it. This is a really important, foundational part of a goal-oriented mindset! I’m all about it—seriously, I nerd out on this stuff.

However, something that people often overlook is what they need to stop doing.

Sometimes we have habits or behaviors that can get in the way of our goals. We might be taking actions toward our goal, but our other habits are making those actions less effective. 

Think about this example:

• Say you want to work on your physical fitness.

• Actions you can take toward that goal might include committing to a weekly exercise routine, say, hitting the gym three days a week.

• Taking these actions feels great.

• However, our progress might be slowed by other choices.

• Staying up late and not getting enough sleep can affect your recovery, drinking alcohol can affect your sleep or hydration. 

In a professional setting, we might want to earn a promotion, or launch a new product. We outline the milestones we have to hit along the way. But...somewhere in the process, distractions pop up. We might over-commit in other areas and not focus on our professional development, or get pulled into nice-to-have side projects or tasks for existing product lines. Before you know it, that goal post is getting bumped out farther and farther. 

If we’d taken a chance to think about the things that we could stop doing in addition to what we can start doing, we might be able to achieve our goal more easily.

So, when you decide on a goal, it’s definitely important to decide on the things you should do to reach it. But don’t forget about the things you shouldn’t do that will make reaching that goal harder.

If you’re looking for more tips on effective goal setting, see my blog on the topic here.

About The Author

Emily Sander is an ICF-certified leadership coach with more than 15 years of experience in the business world and the author of Hacking Executive Leadership. She’s been featured in several print publications, online articles, and podcasts, including CEO Today Magazine, Leading to Fulfillment, and Leadership Powered by Common Sense. 

Emily has a passion for helping business leaders reach their full potential. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach. If you want to send Emily a quick message, then visit her contact page here.