Uncover Your Quitting Protocol to Reach More Goals

Photo from Isaac Smith on Unsplash

As we begin a new year of goal-setting, now is the perfect time to talk about quitting.

More specifically, let's talk about your quitting protocol.

It's been said that how you do one thing is how you do everything so doesn't it also make sense that how you've quit in the past is how you'll quit in the future?

And that knowing the signs and signals that a stoppage is on the way is an important clue on what to avoid in order to reach success?

Because we set goals for two reasons -- to achieve them and to evolve into our next-level selves.

So knowing how you'll quit -- your quitting protocol -- is a secret advantage for every goal-setter who wants to become a goal-getter.

Determining Your Quitting Protocol

As you think about your quitting protocol, you’ll need to spend some time reflecting on the times when you’ve quit on your goals or yourself in the past.

Get out your journal and write down three times that you’ve given up on a goal. It doesn’t have to be a big goal either. But begin by writing down three of these goals that you gave up on.

Now, after each goal, write down why you quit.

Some reasons for quitting could include:

• You lost your motivation.

• The goal was overly ambitious.

• You believed your doubt.

• You gave in to the discomfort.

• Perfectionism won over.

• Failure and mistakes discouraged and distracted you.

• Your priorities changed.

• Your attention was needed elsewhere.

• External circumstances like a change in jobs, your health, or at home.

• You experienced a lack of resources.

• Excuses.

• Your goal was not defined clearly enough.

• You lost interest.

• Others shared their opinions about your goal with you and this discouraged you.

• You weren’t seeing progress fast enough.

• You didn’t make a plan.

• You got distracted by an exciting new things and switched course.

• Procrastination.

• You had unrealistic expectations.

• Lack of support.

• You realized that your goal was not in alignment with where you wanted to go.

Write down whatever the reasons or justifications were that you told yourself that led to you quitting. There may be several different reasons or just one. Remember – this is just data. It’s not a time to judge yourself. 

Now, do you see any similarities in what led you to quit?

Do you see any trends in your data that could give you some insight into your quitting habits? 

Planning for Success

You can now use that information -- your quitting protocol -- to plan ahead.

As you set goals for the new year (or anytime really), knowing how you’ve quit your goals in the past can help you prepare for NOT letting that happen in the future.

Make a plan now to avoid these goal-quitting thoughts and behaviors.

Raise your awareness around them.

When you see one arising, know what it is leading to – quitting. Be ready to implement your plan so that you can carry on to success.

Looking for support, accountability, and a community to help you become a goal-getter? Join us in The Goal Getters Club here.

Jen Laffin is an Accountability & Success Mentor for people who like to finish big goals, a master teacher, host of The Flight School Podcast, a possible thinker, and a recovering procrastinator. She helps goal-SETTERS become goal-GETTERS. To learn more, visit www.jenlaffin.com, or find Jen on Linkedin.