Why Your Big Dreams Are Actually Sabotaging Your Success (And What to Do Instead)

Why Your Big Dreams Are Actually Sabotaging Your Success (And What to Do Instead)

Let’s be honest, you’ve probably set ambitious goals before. Maybe it was that New Year’s resolution to completely transform your life, or the ambitious business plan you swore would change everything. How did that work out for you?

If you’re like most people, those grand plans are collecting dust somewhere while you’re stuck wondering why you can’t seem to follow through on anything. But here’s the plot twist: the problem isn’t your willpower. It’s your approach.

The Real Enemy Hiding in Plain Sight:

Here’s something that might sting a little: your biggest obstacle isn’t your circumstances, your schedule, or even that voice in your head telling you you’re not good enough.

Your real opponent is the gap between who you are now and who you could be.

Think about that for a moment. Every morning, you wake up as the current version of yourself, complete with all your habits, fears, and comfort zones. But there’s another version of you out there. The one who exercises regularly, eats well, builds meaningful relationships, and actually follows through on commitments.

The question isn’t whether that better version exists (it does). The question is: what are you going to do about the gap?

And that’s exactly what Living95 is all about, learning to close the gap brick by brick, without burning yourself out chasing perfection.

Time for Some Uncomfortable Truth-Telling:

Before we dive into solutions, we need to have an honest conversation about something that’s probably holding you back more than you realize: “Your Excuses”.

I know, I know, they don’t feel like excuses. They feel like legitimate reasons. But here’s the thing: every excuse is a negotiation to stay the same.

“I don’t have time” is really “I haven’t made this a priority.”

“I’m not motivated” translates to “I’m waiting for feelings to drive actions.”

“It’s too hard” means “I’m not willing to be uncomfortable.”

This isn’t about beating yourself up, it’s about getting crystal clear on what’s actually happening. Because once you see your excuses for what they really are, you can start dismantling them.

Living95 teaches that you don’t have to win every battle—just the 95% that matter most. Excuses lose their power when you start winning those small, consistent moments.

The Goal-Setting Mistake Almost Everyone Makes:

Here’s where most people go wrong with goal setting: they focus exclusively on the finish line.

“I want to lose 30 pounds.”

“I want to start a business.”

“I want to be happier.”

These aren’t bad goals, but they’re incomplete. They’re what we call outcome goals, results you want but can’t directly control day-to-day.

The game-changer? Process goals.

Instead of just “lose 30 pounds,” try “walk for 20 minutes every day after lunch.”

Instead of “start a business,” commit to “spend 30 minutes each morning researching my industry.”

Instead of “be happier,” focus on “write down three things I’m grateful for before bed or when I first wake up.”

See the difference? Process goals put you in the driver’s seat. They’re the daily shifts that compound into long-term transformation.

The Secret Sauce: Winning Small to Win Big

Want to know something that might change how you think about success? Big wins are rare, but small wins are everywhere.

Every time you choose the harder right over the easier wrong, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, having that difficult conversation instead of avoiding it, or doing one more rep when your body wants to quit, you win against the version of yourself that wants to stay comfortable.

These moments might seem insignificant, but they’re actually the most important victories you’ll ever have. They’re proof to yourself that you can change, that you can be trusted to do what you say you’ll do.

The compound effect is real: Those small, consistent wins don’t just add up, they multiply. They build momentum, confidence, and identity. Before you know it, the person who couldn’t stick to anything becomes the person who always follows through.

That’s the Living95 philosophy in action: success isn’t about extremes, it’s about stacking sustainable wins until your new normal feels effortless.

Your Next Steps (No, Really – Do These)

1. Pick ONE process goal that you can commit to for the next seven days. Make it so easy that you’d feel silly not doing it.

2. Set a daily check-in reminder on your phone. When it goes off, ask yourself: “Did I choose the harder right or the easier wrong in this moment?”

3. Track your small wins. Keep a simple tally of every time you follow through on your process goal. Watch the evidence pile up.

Remember, you’re not just working toward some distant outcome, you’re actively becoming the type of person who achieves their goals. And that transformation happens one small decision at a time.

The Bottom Line

Success isn’t about massive overnight changes or perfect execution. It’s about consistently closing the gap between who you are and who you’re capable of becoming. It’s about winning small battles every single day until those small wins become your new normal.

Your competition isn’t other people, it’s the version of yourself from yesterday. And every time you choose growth over comfort, you win.

This is Living95: progress without extremes, small wins stacked brick by brick.

Ready to dive deeper into building sustainable habits and achieving your goals? Subscribe to the Health, Tech, & Wellness Podcast and our newsletter at Living95.com, where we explore the science-backed strategies that actually work for real people. No quick fixes, no all-or-nothing burnout, just a healthier, happier life, one choice at a time.

What’s one small win you’re going to celebrate today? Drop me a line, I’d love to hear about it.