Why Your Goals Keep Failing (And The System To Fix It)

Author

Hina Sohrab
November 13, 2024

Hey there,

Ever set a perfect goal, only to watch it gather dust by February? You're not alone. In fact, research shows 80% of goals fail within the first month. But here's the thing – it's not your motivation that's the problem. It's your system.

Today, I'm pulling back the curtain on why most goals fail and sharing the exact system I use to stay in the successful 20%.

Why 80% of Goals Fail (And How to Be in the 20%)

The Goal-Setting Crisis

Remember when everyone talked about SMART goals? Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Sounds perfect, right? Yet somehow, these "perfect" goals still end up in the graveyard of good intentions.

Here's what nobody tells you: SMART goals fail because they're missing the most crucial element – systems.

Let me explain with a quick story...

Last month, a client came to me frustrated. They had set the perfect SMART goal: "Increase customer response time to under 2 hours by end of Q3"

Specific? ✓ Measurable? ✓ Achievable? ✓ Relevant? ✓ Time-bound? ✓

Yet three months later, they were still at square one. Why? Because they had a goal without a system.

This is where the 168 Method comes in (and why this newsletter exists). Here's how it works:

  1. Track: Set up automated tracking that runs without you

  2. Task: Create daily actions that move the needle

  3. Time: Build regular review points into your schedule

Let's apply this to our client's case:

Before (Goal Only):

"Increase response time to under 2 hours"

After (Goal + System):

  1. Track:

    • Set up automated response time tracking

    • Create visual dashboard for team visibility

    • Configure alerts for responses over 1.5 hours

  2. Task:

    • Template common responses

    • Set up customer categorization

    • Create team rotation schedule

  3. Time:

    • Daily 5-minute response time check

    • Weekly 15-minute system adjustment

    • Monthly 30-minute deep dive

The result? Response times dropped to 1.5 hours within two weeks.

Why This Works

Traditional goal-setting fails because it focuses on the destination without building the bridge to get there. The 168 Method works because it:

  • Makes progress visible

  • Creates daily actions

  • Builds in accountability

  • Automates the boring stuff

QUICK WIN OF THE WEEK: The 5-Minute Weekly Review

Want to try this yourself? Here's a simple 3-step weekly review process that takes just 5 minutes:

Monday Morning (2 mins):

Check all goal progress

  • Identify top priorities for the week

  • Update tracking metrics

    Daily Check-in (1 min):

    Quick progress check

  • Note any blockers

  • Adjust daily tasks

    Friday Wrap-up (2 mins):

    Review weekly goal progress

  • Document wins and lessons learned

  • Plan focus for next week

BONUS TIP: Automations That Actually Work

Struggling to stay on top of your goals? Here are two automation ideas that can save you hours:

Progress Updater

  • Trigger: Status changes

  • Action: Automatically update progress and notify owner


    Review Reminders

  • Trigger: Review date approaching

  • Action: Create a task and notify the goal owner

🎉 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Want to take your goal-setting to the next level?

Join me on 27th November, for an exclusive webinar: "Setting Up Your Goals/OKRs in ClickUp"

You'll learn:

✅The best formula to define an OKR (Objectives and Key Results)
✅How to use ClickUp's built-in Goals feature to set up your OKRs
✅How to customise ClickUp to align your personal and business goals

Save Your Spot!

Here's to turning your 7 days into 8,

Hina

P.S. Got a success story or question? Hit reply – I read every email.