If you have not been monitoring and updating the goal descriptions on an ongoing basis, you may need to edit the description. Rather than change it totally, it is best to leave the goal as originally written and add to it a sentence describing the revision and the reason why. There may have been reasons beyond yours or the employee's control that made the goal unattainable within the originally specified time frame. You may wish to use this goal as the basis for a future goal. Try not to do this too often, and only when the reason is clearly beyond the employee's responsibility.
Goal setting gets a bad name when year after year, goals are set and cancelled or delayed.
Keeping Performance Goals Updated Goals are usually set with the best of intentions. However, the reality of business is that priorities shift frequently. The best-laid plans for the coming review period can be totally upset by a single occurrence. For these reasons, goal setting for performance evaluations can only be successful if the goals are closely monitored and adjusted during the review period. Review goals regularly.