Why Goal Setting Fails (And the 3 Shifts That Fix It)
I've worked with entrepreneurs for over 10 years now and here's what stands out about the most successful ones:
They focus on fewer goals (fewer than most of us do) and work at them sequentially.
As paradoxical as it sounds, less is more when it comes to goal setting and achievement.
Why Most Of Us Fail
Here’s how it usually plays out:
We get inspired. We make a plan. For a few days, we’re on fire.
Then momentum fades.
We miss a day. We miss two.
And suddenly, the goal feels like a lost cause.
It’s not that we’re weak.
It’s that we’ve fallen into three silent traps:
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The Direction Trap → Too many goals, not enough focus.
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The Reactive Trap → Always busy, never moving forward.
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The Environment Trap → Counting on willpower when it’s already drained.
The Fix Isn’t Willpower — It’s These Three Shifts
✅ Shift 1: From Direction to Strategy
Write down 10 goals. Then circle the one that will make the rest easier or unnecessary.
Handwriting them matters — it locks the intention deeper.
✅ Shift 2: From Outcome to Identity
Don’t just say, “I want to write a book.”
Say, “I’m a writer who writes every day.”
Each action is a vote for the person you’re becoming.
✅ Shift 3: From Willpower to Environment
Willpower is finite.
But environment? That’s renewable.
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Clear the clutter off your desk.
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Keep the junk food out of sight.
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Put your phone in another room.
Make good choices frictionless.
Make bad choices inconvenient.
Why This Matters
When your system is broken, goals die quickly.
But with fewer, sharper goals…
With identity instead of outcomes…
With an environment that carries you forward…
👉 You get traction.
👉 You build momentum.
👉 And you actually enjoy the process.
Quick Self-Check
Right now, ask yourself:
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Do I have more goals than I can actually focus on?
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Am I defining myself by outcomes instead of identities?
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Is my environment helping me—or quietly sabotaging me?
What I’ve Learned
Big wins aren’t about chasing more.
They’re about narrowing in.
Owning your identity.
And designing a world that makes success the default.
Fewer goals.
Bigger impact.
Ciao for now,
Ash
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