November’s already here, and soon, the New Year will roll around again, bringing all that familiar excitement. But let’s pause for a second—do you remember yourself back in January? I remember that ambitious list of goals you made. So…how’s that going? Did you hit the gym, get yourself in shape? Or did those plans quietly drift away?

Think about the start of any year. We’ve all been there: setting ambitious goals with all the excitement of a movie montage—fitness plans, career ambitions, side projects. Yet, as reality sinks in, that same vision of “new year, new me” quickly fades. In fact, only 8% of people actually accomplish their yearly goals, according to studies. For the remaining 92%, those goals become a bittersweet memory, barely hanging on by February.

Why is that?

Hurdles on the way

It turns out, we’re not superheroes. At the start of a goal-setting spree, we feel motivated, energized, and ready to tackle anything. But according to psychologists, motivation fades within weeks. It’s a cognitive bias called the “intention-action gap”—we overestimate how likely we are to act on good intentions. This is why so many gym memberships go unused by March, and why side projects often remain half-finished on hard drives everywhere. Just look at the massive spike in gym memberships each January, followed by the equally massive drop-off in attendance by mid-February.

Do you remember when you resolved to learn French last year. You even downloaded an app, ordered a textbook, and started with enthusiasm, but a month later, your app notifications were the only reminders and “Parlez-vous français?”  was still on your to-do list. This experience shows us that when we rely on motivation alone, we’re likely to stall once the thrill fades.

Ok, but what is the problem? Why can’t we achieve our goals set at the beginning of the year  without motivation? Now that we have figured out that motivation is “Mirage” and the only requirement to achieve goals is doing it, why is it so hard to start doing? 

“I want to get in shape,” “I want to be more successful,” or “I want to save money.” They sound inspiring, but goals like these lack clarity and measurable outcomes. Research from the American Psychological Association confirms that specific goals are 42% more likely to be achieved. When we have a clear, defined target, the path forward becomes obvious, and the small, actionable steps are easy to map out.

For example, you aimed to “get in shape.” A year later, you are not sure if you succeeded or failed because, well, what does “in shape” even mean? Meanwhile, your friend Fred set a goal to run 10 kilometers in under 30 minutes. He mapped out a training plan, tracked his progress, and by December, had achieved his goal. The lack of definition leads to inertia, while specificity fuels momentum.

Most successful people keep telling us, those lower on the pyramid, that motivation is overrated and that consistency is key. But are we really listening to them? It’s easy to think it’s just another piece of advice that’s easier to say than to follow. But wake up, people! I know it’s difficult to stay consistent with anything. When was the last time you dedicated at least an hour a day to something important to you for 100 days in a row? Maybe you can’t even remember. I know it may not sound that promising, but I’ve tried it, and I’m already seeing results. To show you it works and help you believe in what I’m saying, I’m starting a test. Over the next year, I’ll post content consistently. Every week, I’ll publish at least two articles, and you’ll be able to see the progress and the changes for yourself. I truly believe that by putting in a little effort and time consistently into things that matter to us, we can reach the goals that are important to us. In the end, you don’t want to live a life you’ll regret, because time keeps moving forward, and there will always be excuses. There’s no better time to start than right now!

After all, we all have certain goals and dreams we want to accomplish. Let’s achieve them through consistency.

Another common excuse is, “I’m too busy to work on my goals.” But research from the Harvard Business Review shows that 40-60% of a typical workday is spent on unimportant tasks—meetings, emails, and administrative duties that don’t move us any closer to our goals. Being “busy” gives us a sense of importance, but it rarely translates to actual productivity or progress. I have a friend who spent the past year knee-deep in “urgent” tasks for work. His dream of writing a book fell to the wayside as he jumped from one meeting to the next. Looking back on his year, he can barely recall a single project that brought him closer to his own ambitions. When we’re busy with things we don’t truly care about, we often undervalued our time. Time is the only real currency we have, and it’s worth far exceeds what we earn from our jobs. So, I encourage everyone to reassess the value of their time and invest it in the things that genuinely matter to them. Which brings us to another virus in our lives.

The average person checks their phone 96 times a day, according to a study by Asurion. Every ding, vibration, and notification fragment our focus, making it almost impossible to stay engaged with the work that matters. The result? Goals are left to wither under the constant lure of instant gratification.

The difference

Okay, Tim, I get it, but what makes us different from those people? That 8%? Who are they? Are they smarter than me? Better than me?

Firstly, there isn’t a significant difference between a winner and a loser. Imagine two runners sprinting neck and neck in a race. As they approach the finish line, one of them edges ahead by just a fraction of a second—barely a step. But that tiny lead means the difference between the winner’s gold medal and a consolation prize for second place. Did the winner run ten times faster than the runner-up? Not even close. But that small advantage brings a massive payoff in prize money, status, and sponsorships—sometimes thousands of dollars more for being just one step ahead. This principle applies everywhere: in sales, sports, and competitions. There is often less than a 10% difference between a successful person and a loser.

That successful 8% of people in the world are all about systems over goals. Yeah, they still have goals, but instead of obsessing over the end result, they focus on the small, repeatable actions that will eventually lead them there. They break down big, scary dreams into simple daily steps, then commit to those steps with almost boring consistency. Think of it like a snowball effect: each tiny action may seem small, but over time, the results build up in ways that seem massive. 

Another difference? They know how to handle their self-talk. We all know that little voice in our heads that loves to pop up and say, “You’re too tired,” “You’ll never make it,” or “What’s one day off?” Well, the 8% don’t let that voice drive their actions. They don’t rely on “feeling like it” every day to get things done. Instead, they’ve learned to work around their moods and stay focused even when that voice is loud. They make space for what matters. While the rest of us are drowning in emails and meetings, they set clear boundaries. They say “no” more often than they say “yes” to things that don’t fit their priorities. They’re busy, sure—but they’re busy with things that move them forward. And they’ve built habits to stay that way, including minimizing distractions (looking at you, endless phone notifications). Last but not least they celebrate the small wins. That’s one thing we overlook. These people track their progress and reward themselves for showing up, even when the results aren’t immediate. It’s those little celebrations that keep them going, like dropping a coin in the piggy bank every day, knowing it’s adding up even if they can’t see it right away.

So, no, the 8% aren’t different in some crazy way; they just show up consistently and make the process a priority. They don’t wait for motivation to magically appear—they create habits that carry them through, even when motivation is nowhere in sight.

In essence, what’s it going to be? Will you join the 8% who can actually stick to a goal and see it through? Or, are you already preparing for that “next year will be my year” speech? Because guess what: next year will be just like this year unless you do something different. So maybe it’s time to skip the next cat video, silence the notifications, and spend an hour doing something that’ll matter in the long run. Or hey, keep scrolling—it’s only your goals on the line.