✍️ Why We Keep Writing the Same Goals (and How to Break the Cycle)

Is this you? Every Monday morning after “too much pizza weekend”) many of us write down the same noble list:

• Lose weight
• Exercise more
• Finally get my act together - attack that to-do list

And then… life happens. By the next day, the treadmill is a laundry rack, the “healthy groceries” are evolving into new species in the fridge, and our journal entries look suspiciously like last week’s —just with slightly different ink.

So why do we keep doing this? And more importantly, how do we break the cycle?

1. We Confuse Wanting with Doing

Wanting to “exercise more” is like wanting to “go to Paris.” Lovely thought. But unless you actually buy the ticket (and maybe download a French phrase app), it remains fantasy. Personal Note: bought my ticket for March 2026 - I am returning 😀

👉 Instead: Replace “exercise more” with “walk 15 minutes after lunch three times a week.” That’s not a dream. That’s a plan.

📌 Humor Break: Writing “exercise more” in your planner burns exactly 0 calories. I checked. Twice.

2. Our Goals Are Too Big (and Too Vague)

“Lose 25 pounds” sounds impressive. But your brain secretly hears, “Let’s climb Everest barefoot.” Cue rebellion.

👉 Instead: Shrink the mountain. “Swap soda for water” or “do 10 squats while the coffee brews.” Achievements build momentum. Momentum builds change.

📌 Humor Break: Start small. No one has ever said, “Wow, that single squat ruined my day.”

3. Motivation Is a Terrible Friend

Motivation shows up loud and then ghosts you the next day. What you really need? Routine!

👉 Instead: Anchor habits to things you already do. Brush teeth → stretch for 2 minutes. Brew coffee → walk around the block while it drips. (Bonus: coffee tastes better after moving.)

📌 Humor Break: Motivation is that friend who promises to help you move, then “gets a headache.” Routine is the friend who actually shows up with a truck.

4. We Don’t Plan for Tuesday Us

We write goals in our best mood, then forget about Tuesday Us—the tired, cranky version who thinks ice cream is a food group.

👉 Instead: Create the minimum version. Too tired for a workout? Do one push-up. You’ll usually do more once you’ve started.

📌 Humor Break: My minimum version of yoga is “lying on the mat scrolling Instagram.” Technically, that’s corpse pose.

5. We Forget the Joy

If your “exercise” is jogging but you hate jogging, congratulations—you’ve invented self-punishment.

👉 Instead: Pick fun movement. Dance in the kitchen, garden, hula hoop, chase your dog. The best exercise is the one you’ll actually repeat.

📌 Humor Break: If laughing until your sides hurt burned 500 calories, Netflix would be a gym membership.

The Bottom Line

We keep writing the same goals because we mistake vague wishes for actual plans, and we rely on motivation instead of systems. The fix isn’t another shiny planner—it’s smaller steps, clear triggers, and a dash of joy.

So yes, write down your goals again. But this time, make them bite-sized, tie them to your actual life, and sneak joy into the process.

And remember: treadmills can hold laundry, sure—but they’re way more fun when they hold you.

✨ Reader Challenge:

This week, pick ONE micro-goal. Seriously—just one. Do it three times. Then email me when you’re practically glowing with smug satisfaction.

Julie Bolejack, MBA