How Stress Kills Goal Achievement

Based on a podcast by Shane Krider

Fact: Stress kills goals. This is an important concept to learn because it’s definitely one of the ways our mind works against us. Every day, we all live a life of competing priorities and it’s normal to sacrifice some goals to achieve others. But it’s the process of deciding which ones to sacrifice, especially when you are under stress, that can be counter intuitive to your long-term success.

When you’re under duress, your brain switches gear and you go into fight or flight mode. I go into greater depth of this in other podcasts, but essentially, when you are under stress your ability to express empathy turns off. And this effects every decision you make thereafter.

On a larger scale this is demonstrated in military studies where pilots in high stress situations don’t eject in time to save themselves. Even when ordered to abandon the aircraft. Why? It comes from a sense of duty to the authority figures even at the sake of their own lives.

When we are freaked out, we become more sensitive to our need to serve a higher power. Our empathy is switched off, we’re not thinking about how this decision will affect our family, we feel reduced as an individual with a desire to please our perceived authority.

On an every day level, the small stresses that consistently repeat in our lives build up and have an undo influence over us and we end up reacting as if the stresses are bigger than they really are.

You must minimize stress in order to achieve your ultimate goals. But how do you know which ones to sacrifice?

What’s important in your life? When you’re 70 do you want to be healthy, wealthy, surrounded by loved ones? Well you can be if you consciously sacrifice the smaller goals in your life, that don’t serve your bigger picture goal. And the best way you can ensure you’re making the right decisions to achieve this, is to keep your stress levels down. If stress is low, things will get done.

Good news! There are some easy things you can implement today to start relieving some of that stress.

  • Daily exercise. Remember exercise should be fun. If exercise is punishing you will not continue long term.
  • Eat right. Consume foods that don’t cause negative reactions in the body – refined sugar, gluten, alcohol. All of these things end up playing a negative role increasing the stress we’re under in our life.
  • Create ‘me time’. We all cope better when we take some time aside to do the things we enjoy – a relaxing bath, a swim in the ocean, gardening.
  • Or try yoga or tai chi!

Sacrifice the small goals for the big goal, the one that is going to see you happy, healthy and affluent at the age of 70. This is what you’re choosing to do, serve your higher self and give people around you the opportunity to support you, or opt out. You must remain authentic to your long-term goal in order to reach it.

I wake up in the morning and I’ve got too much stuff to do. We all suffer from that, but because I put achieving financial success at the top of the list 20 years ago, and sacrifice the small stuff, I achieved it. It has now allowed me the space and freedom to put vitality, health and relationships on the top of my list.

It takes guts to serve your big life goals, and as stress hits, it will make you want to sacrifice that big goal for an immediate goal. I will not do that! The small goal must die for your future authentic self to thrive.

Don’t sell out to stress. You won’t regret it.

Shane Krider