Harvard Business Review: Why we set unattainable goals 17 Jan, 2021 03:00 AM 6 minutes to read Psychology helps to explain why we're so bad at meeting our goals. Photo / Getty Images Psychology helps to explain why we're so bad at meeting our goals. Photo / Getty Images Harvard Business Review Every December, many of us find ourselves scribbling resolutions at the back of our journals or making mental notes on what we hope to achieve in the coming year. And yet, one study suggests that a mere 19 per cent of us achieve those goals, even over the following two years. There are many reasons for this — not knowing how to pursue the goal, a lack of willpower or the choice of vague objectives, for instance, or the role unanticipated external forces (e.g., illness, an economic downturn).