Why focusing on too many goals at once can hurt your progress

It’s not uncommon to feel especially motivated one day, get a surge of energy, and make a grand scheme for how you’ll accomplish everything you ever wanted in the next 6 months. However, from personal experience, I’ve learned that going for too many goals at once leads me to getting none of them done at all. On the other hand, focusing on one goal at a time has proven to be not only more manageable but I’m also more likely to finish what I set out to do.

That said, if you have a bunch of things you wanna accomplish right now, you’ll likely need to pick one and go after it. So the rest of this article will give you a process for deciding which goal is most important.

Step 1 - Write down all the things you want to accomplish. 

To start, grab a pen and paper (or your favorite note-taking app) and write down all the goals or things you want to accomplish. This might range from personal achievements to professional aspirations.

Step 2 - Think about the goals that would bring the most happiness. 

Next, to narrow your list down, ask yourself this big question from the book “The 4 Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferriss:

• Of the listed goals, which 20% would result in 80% of your desired outcomes and happiness?

For me, the two goals that would bring the most happiness would be to cure all world diseases and wrestle a tiger and win.

Step 3 - Think about goals that address other goals. 

Of the answers you wrote in Step 2, which of them would either directly address other goals on your original list or make them irrelevant if you got it done? This step helps figure out what goal would bring the most impact for you.

For my goals, I figure that if I cure all world diseases, I’ll be able to write a best selling book about it. Then with the money from the book, I’d be able to pay for Spanish lessons, and a tiger to practice wresting with. And eventually, with all of this going on, someone from Dos Equis would hear about me and reach out to make me the next World’s Most Interesting Man…

Step 4 - Pick one. 

Look over your answers from the previous steps. Which goal stands out the most?

If you’re torn between a few options, narrow it down to the top two. Then set a timer for 15 minutes and commit to making a decision before it goes off. Remember, the goal you choose is for now, not forever. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to pursue other goals down the road.

In conclusion, I once heard a quote that “You can have anything you want, just not everything”. So with that in mind, think a lot about what things are most important to pursue and go after them.

That’s it. Hope this helps!

Have a business or personal goal you’re currently going for but struggling to reach? I’ll help you put together a game plan to get it done. You can sign up for one for free at goaldoctors.com. We’ll be happy to help! — from Nick