Why Capable Adults Still Struggle to Achieve Their Goals

A lotus plant struggles to blossom when grown under harsh conditions, such as rocky soil or too much sun. Likewise, capable adults who are constantly surrounded by stress, negativity, and other difficult situations may find it challenging to bloom into their full potential. 

In this article, you’ll discover seven reasons why capable adults struggle to achieve their goals, with specific suggestions on overcoming these challenges and living a happier, more fulfilling life.

A Brief Discussion of Why Capable Adults Fails To Meet Their Goals

1. Sometimes we lack direction.

When we feel lost, it’s essential to ask ourselves what direction we truly want our lives to go. The issue isn’t about capability; instead, it lacks a vision of what we want. If you don’t know where you want your life and career (or business) to go, consider developing your life goals using lotus leadership principles.

2. Sometimes we are afraid of failure.

As kids, most of us were taught that failure is bad and that we should work hard to avoid it. This fear can be debilitating when it comes to reaching our goals, but learning from a mistake can be even more disheartening if we’re scared of making one in the first place.

If you don’t take risks in life, you miss out on amazing opportunities—not only will you never reach your goals, but you’ll also never know how much potential was hidden behind them.

3. We sometimes don’t ask for help.

It’s easy to get into a routine where we feel like we need to take on everything ourselves. We think that asking for help is a sign of weakness or will make others think we aren’t as capable as they first thought. But by not asking for help, we miss out on opportunities and end up spreading ourselves too thin. The lesson here? Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it!

4. Sometimes we think we can do it alone.

Many of us are told that we can achieve anything we set our minds to when we're young. This ethos is embedded in our psyche, and it is a significant reason why we feel that we can take on any challenge alone. 

As adults, we sometimes forget that sometimes you need help—even if you’re capable of achieving your goals by yourself. In fact, a lotus leadership approach is often preferable for reaching high-performance levels.

5. Sometimes our attitudes are bad.

If we suffer from a bad attitude and lose motivation, we’ll struggle to achieve the goal. Set realistic expectations, then give yourself the space to achieve them in a stress-free manner. Learn how negative thinking can hold you back in your career and life, and know how you can defeat it when necessary. 

Be good company to yourself. Don’t criticize yourself for being human—mistakes are okay as long as you try not to repeat them or allow negativity to control your thought process.

6. Sometimes we stop trying because success isn’t instant.

Many of us assume that achieving our goals will be a walk in the park. When that doesn’t happen, we feel like giving up and returning to our comfort zone. As one of my mentors says, Making a success is tougher than making excuses for failure. Never lose sight of your goals by setting realistic milestones and rewards along your journey—this will help keep you focused when things get tough.

7. We sometimes need someone to lead us by example.

Many of us can set and achieve goals, but it often requires a bit of self-motivation. Sometimes we need someone to lead by example. If your friend is trying to lose weight or going for a promotion at work, these small goals can inspire you. Studies have found that people who get a lot of encouragement are more likely to stick with their goals than those who don’t receive much support from others.

Final Thought

There’s a common misconception that for a capable adult, success is simply a matter of choosing good goals and then setting out to achieve them. However, what actually determines our success is often more complex than that. 

Ultimately, achieving goals relies on three major factors: your ability to set realistic expectations, your work ethic, and your life situation. It can be difficult to succeed at whatever endeavor you pursue if you’re struggling with any of these elements (or if all three are unbalanced).