Why goals and affirmations don't always work

You may have read or been told that if you're not achieving your goal, you probably haven't picked one that you truly want.

Often it's not this simple. The problem with goals and affirmations is sometimes that they often just confirm or remind you of what you haven't got. No matter how positively you say it, or how many times you write it down, or whatever context you put it in, there's this little sarcastic voice - this gremlin - somewhere inside saying 'Yeah, right!'

If your underlying belief is that you'll never achieve what you set out to, that voice inside will always make itself heard. Just say your goal out loud and then listen for a moment. If you don't have a thought or feeling that's truly saying 'Yes I can' or 'I will', read on.

Goals and affirmations often just overlay existing negative feelings with positive ones, but the existing feeling is still there, ready to come back at the first opportunity - usually when you're feeling a bit low physically or mentally. Ignoring negative feelings has much the same effect - they're still there.

So, how do you silence the gremlin?

What you do is use the affirmations or goals to unearth the negative feelings you have about getting what you want - those thoughts such as 'I can never have ...', 'I'll never be able to ...', 'I'm not good enough ...' and anything starting with 'I can't ...'

Your actions will always come into line with your beliefs. In other words, if you believe you can or believe you can't, you're right.

The Sedona Method and Thought Field Therapy are powerful, effective treatments for dissolving negative feelings. Because these processes are gentle and unobtrusive, they make it easier to access those thoughts and feelings that may be holding you back.

Because the focus is on the thought or feeling you have now, rather than the event or situation you may be remembering, you don't have to go through the trauma of talking it through. In fact, you need not mention any details unless you want to.

Let your goals guide to you towards understanding what's holding you back. Deal with those stumbling blocks first, and then watch how much easier it is to get what you want.