Why You're Not Hitting Your Goals (And How to Fix It Before Year-End)
Find out why linear goals don’t work and how to set up a flexible system that helps you stay consistent, reduce overwhelm, and get back on track before the year closes.
It’s November. You’re looking at your January goals and feeling that familiar sinking feeling. You haven’t hit them. And worse, you’re already thinking: “Maybe I’ll just wait until next year.”
I get it. I’ve been there. We all have.
But here’s what I’ve learned: when you don’t hit your goals, the problem usually isn’t your discipline or motivation. The real problem is how you set the goal in the first place.
The Problem with Linear Goals
Most of us set goals like they’re a straight line from point A to point B. “I want to lose 10kg. I want to hit $X revenue. I want to launch Y by December.”
But life doesn’t work that way.
Things happen. You fall sick. Priorities shift. Your job changes. Your goals evolve. Something happens in the world that’s completely outside your control.
If your entire goal structure falls apart the moment life happens, the structure was the problem, not you.
The Solution: Systems Over Goals
I’ve developed a simple three-part system that’s helped me (and can help you) actually make progress even when life gets messy:
1. Set the Directional Intent
This is your “why.” The purpose behind what you’re trying to achieve.
Don’t just say “I want to lose 10kg.” That’s a number. It’s not motivation.
Instead, ask yourself: “What’s the directional intent?”
Maybe it’s: “I want to feel healthier and have energy to go through my day without crashing at 3pm.”
Now you have something that can guide you even when the exact goal shifts. If you don’t hit 10kg but you DO have more energy and feel healthier, you’re still moving in the right direction.
The directional intent keeps you motivated when the path isn’t linear.
2. Set the Impetus
These are the tiny, repeatable actions you can do every single day that move you toward your goal, regardless of what’s happening in your life.
For the health example:
Fix your sleep schedule
Walk every day (even if it’s just 10 minutes)
Eat one good meal
These are things you can control. They’re simple enough that even on your worst day, you can probably do at least one of them.
The impetus is your daily insurance policy. As long as you’re doing these small things, you’re still on track.
3. Set Your If-Then Rule
This is the most important part and the thing most people skip.
Your if-then rule answers: “If this doesn’t work today, what do I do next?”
For instance:
If I miss a day: Just continue the next day. No guilt, no reset.
If my morning walk gets cancelled: Find a way to reclaim time later by reorganizing my calendar.
If I can’t do the full workout: Do 10 minutes instead of zero.
The if-then rule removes the all-or-nothing thinking that kills most goals. It’s your backup plan built into the system.
Why the End of the Year is Actually Perfect for This
I know what you’re thinking. “It’s almost December. I’ll just start fresh in January.”
But here’s why that’s a mistake: The end of the year is actually the PERFECT time to start building momentum.
Two reasons:
1. You have data. You’ve been living for 10+ months this year. You know what worked and what didn’t. You know when you fell off track and why. Use that information now instead of starting from scratch in January.
2. You can build consistency with less pressure. There’s less intensity at year-end. You’re not competing with the “New Year, New Me” energy that burns out by February. You can quietly build habits and momentum now.
By the time January rolls around and everyone else is scrambling to start fresh, you’ll just be continuing what you started in Q4. No fresh motivation needed. No starting from scratch. Just momentum.
How to Apply This Now
Pick one goal you’ve been putting off or feeling stuck on.
Write down the directional intent: What’s the real reason you want this? What feeling or outcome are you actually chasing?
List 2-3 impetus actions: What are the smallest daily actions that move you toward this goal? Things you can do even on your worst day.
Create your if-then rules: For each impetus action, write down: “If [obstacle happens], then I will [backup action].”
That’s it. You now have a system, not just a goal.
Final Thought
Goals are outcomes. Systems are processes.
When you have a system (with clear intent, daily impetus, and backup plans), you stop blaming yourself for lack of discipline. You start making actual progress even when life isn’t perfect.
And life is never perfect.
So stop waiting for the perfect time. Stop waiting for January. Start building your system now.
You’ve got this.