The Problem With Your Goals

Like teeth on a wheel or a gear, each step in our process is a critical step to achieving our desired future. Imagine if one tooth of the gear has been worn down or is missing, it probably will not affect the overall process too much in the beginning. But as the machine continues to grind on, adding extra work to make up for the missing pieces in the system, eventually, the gears will wear down even further. The teeth will skip key connecting points with other gears, causing the entire system to shut down and revert to its nature of least work. Which, for a machine,  can often be no work. 

But Machines were made for more. And so were we. 

We are not machines. We do not ever stop. It is not in our nature to be idle. Our bodies and minds are in a perpetual state of motion. We are constantly moving. We are constantly thinking. Our bodies are constantly even rejuvenating themselves.

So it is when we do not have a way to achieve our goals, our machine tries something called “will-power” to push us past a few broken cogs, and a weakened system. Unfortunately, will-power only lasts for so long. 

A non-functioning system is not a threat. We need not get frustrated. We only need to look at our system more thoroughly. We need to ask ourselves, why did this not work? Then narrow it down again? Was it a habit that was at work? Was it external circumstances? Am I alone in this, or is this a group effort causing the breakdown?

When you are mapping out your goals for the New Year, or your resolutions; don’t just think of the end result, think of the next step in the process that will get you there. 

Each tooth of each gear is essential. Taking time to walk through those pieces is tiring. It can require vulnerability. But it’s also the only thing standing in the way of you and your desired result.