Change is something which many of us dread but it should be something that we welcome with open arms. Often changes can produce satisfactory and worthwhile results but it is the gap between now and reaching that change which many of us find difficult to cope with. As a result, we fail to stick to plans and end up staying stuck in the same old rut.

How often have we made New Year's Resolutions only to break them on January 2nd or a quarter of the way through the year? How many of your New Year's Resolutions have you actually committed to wholeheartedly and how many seemed like a great idea at the time but required too much effort to see through? Nothing can be more disheartening than trying to stick with a plan for weeks on end and then feeling the pangs of discontentment as the enthusiasm dwindles and the resolution fades rapidly into obscurity. The fact that the resolution was made in the first place shows that the matter was of high importance but something thwarted those efforts...

Let's take a look at a handful of the most common reasons why we fail to meet our goals. This will enable us to stop falling into the same old trap of making plans which never materialise.

I don't have the time right now...

Yes, time is a common reason and also a great excuse for failing to plunge forward with our goals. Whilst it may seem easy on the surface to see the finished task, the time and effort it takes to reach that place can often be underestimated. This deflates the desire and makes the whole process seem like a long drawn out task. When we start to commit less and less time to completing our goal, it is very difficult to claw back the time that we need to remain steadfast in our commitment.

If time is proving to be a stumbling block to your success, cut yourself some slack and extend the time period for achieving the results that you require. It is better to work towards your goal at a slower and continuous pace than to push yourself too hard and end up giving up. This way you can continue with your everyday routine, knowing that every day you are still moving forward and maintaining your resolutions, promises and desires.

This is harder than I thought it would be...

Things always look easier when we see someone else doing them or when someone else has completed the challenge. It is only when we start to pursue a task that we know if it is something we will enjoy or find difficult to achieve.

When things appear difficult, they dampen the enthusiasm and suddenly we start creating obstacles which we use as excuses not to continue. On the contrary, tasks which seem too easy to complete may actually be the most complex.

A simple plan of eating healthier and following a daily exercise regime can seem like an easy way to shed the pounds and maintain a leaner, trimmer body. Most people are aware of their unhealthy eating habits and the mass of diet books which fill the shelves of bookstores and websites support the fact that people have a desire to lose weight and want to feel good about themselves. However, people still continue to succumb to the temptations of fatty foods, chocolate and stodgy carbohydrates. Understanding the dangers of healthy eating is easy but convincing the mind that action needs to be taken is the hardest part.

When you set goals, you need to accept that there is going to be a modicum of hard work involved. It is no good trying to convince the mind that the transition will be easy if you know deep down that there is going to be some effort involved on your part. When you accept the fact that goals require commitment and often present challenges, you face them with your eyes wide open and there are no hidden surprises waiting around the corner. When you accept that there is a price to pay for success, the change becomes easier and the mind is able to prepare and cope with the challenges ahead.

I am too busy right now...

Life can be hectic and it is often easy to put things on the back burner when distractions come our way. Very often we can invent diversions to avoid facing up to things that we find daunting. Setting a goal is easy but underestimating the distractions which can throw us off track can cause goals to be discarded altogether.

The best way to look at distractions is to remember that beating them means you can complete a task or goal which may have been tugging at you for many years. By giving in to distractions, you will always feel like a failure.

I was dedicated but I didn't keep it up...

Many people complete their goal but find it difficult to maintain the results that they worked so hard to achieve. Dieters, who reach their ideal weight, start to indulge with the foods that caused the weight to increase in the first place as they feel that they deserve a reward for achieving their target weight.

Once a change has been made, the habit needs to be maintained for life and not considered something that is a short term measure. When a task has become a natural part of everyday life, the mind is programmed to make it stay that way and will not want to return to old habits.

I thought that this was too good to be true...

Don't fall under the misconception that when you achieve a goal, all of your worries will fall away one by one. Only you can make these changes remain in place. There are thousands of self help books and tapes which will do their utmost to convince you that the new you will be worthwhile but unless you feel it personally and believe in it yourself there is no author in the world who will be able to convince you that change is beneficial and worthwhile.

Never approach a goal with the attitude of trying it out to see how it feels, this will never work as the efforts are half-hearted and the negative will always win. To make a life time commitment to your goals you have to own the idea heart and soul and believe that it really will work because you want it to and you are determined to make it happen.

Although these messages may sound like tough challenges, they help an individual to face the reality of setting a goal and become aware of the challenges that they will present along the way. No more charging in with both feet and expecting instant miracles. The best goals often take the longest time to complete and are the most gratifying and rewarding. Look the facts square between the eyes when you work towards a goal and set realistic, challenging steps which you can complete at a comfortable pace. Then all you have to do is watch the positive changes evolve in both your own life and the lives of everyone around you.