Setting and achieving goals is a slippery slope. On one hand, goals give you direction, guidelines, a platform to track progress, and an opportunity to celebrate wins. On the other hand, they can take away from enjoying the journey and the present moment which can leave you feeling scattered and distracted. Yicks!
Like most things in life, it’s up to you to find a balance that works FOR YOU (not against you). You don’t create goals to feel stressed, overwhelmed, or like a failure, right? Here are my tips for creating goals that propel you towards a life that feels good and helps you track your progress, all so you can enjoy the celebrations and rewards that come from consistency and healthy achievement.
AKA living an intentional life.
Set Your Timer
I like to start here because when you make a goal, you can look at time under a microscope or through a wide lens. Neither is wrong, but by picking a timeline for your goals, you can better track your progress. Whether it's annual goals, a three-month sprint, or daring 5-10-year visions, the choice is yours. The goal is not to limit yourself but to find a timeline that sparks excitement and progress. Feeling overwhelmed? My Clarity and Confidence sessions are designed to help you organize your goals and kickstart your journey.
State Your Goal in the Positive
If you have a goal of “I don’t want to use social media every day”, I recommend switching it up to focus more on what it is that you DO want. Like this: “I want to spend more time walking my dog rather than being on social media after work”. Our brains love to focus on what's not going well or what isn’t working which focuses your attention on the exact thing you don’t want to be focusing on! By stating what you want, you naturally move closer to success, embracing a sense of freedom from limiting thoughts.
Goals Are Personal
Craft goals based on your actions, not the actions of others. If your goal is to not lose your mind while your husband goes to the bathroom for 45 minutes, the solution isn’t telling him to go faster. The goal could be doing a particular thing while he is in the bathroom that enables a feeling and behavior you want to experience. Say, taking a short walk, making a cup of tea, or writing in your journal. Those are things in your control, the time your husband spends in the bathroom isn’t.
Be Descriptive
This suggestion is best used on short-term goals, but always helpful. Bring creativity to the goal-setting table. Bulk up your goals with descriptive and sensory details. Instead of a generic "change careers" goal, say something like "finding a new career in the Arts field, using creativity to inspire people in the workplace." Let the process be as fun and imaginative as the outcomes.
Make it Size-Appropriate
A good goal is big enough to stretch you out of your comfy cozy routine, but small enough to be accomplished in your time frame. If your goal isn’t an appropriate size, you could be setting yourself up to be let down or be bored and uninspired. If you’re here, my guess is you don’t care for either of those things. The trick here is being honest with yourself about what your capabilities and comforts are. With honest self-reflection as your compass, you can embrace the doubt, overcome challenges, and emerge stronger and more resilient.
Break Goals Up into Categories
A big laundry list of goals can be overwhelming to look at and difficult to create. By breaking your goals up into specific categories you will be more organized and less overwhelmed by what’s ahead. Some examples would be personal goals, relationship goals, family goals, career goals, creative goals, fitness goals, and home environment goals. See my goals for the 2024 year here. I chose to organize my 2024 goals into categories that represent my current top priorities, my self, motherhood, my relationship, and my home. Permission to have fun and get creative with it!
Take Action and Live Intentionally
With intentional goals set, it's time to take action. If you're looking for a guide on habits, check out "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. For unwavering support and accountability, consider partnering with a life coach. Your one life deserves intentional goals, and at Amanda Rolfe Life Coaching, we are here to help you feel fabulous about the adventure you are living.
Let's make goal setting and achieving a thrilling journey towards a life of fun, freedom, courage, balance, inspiration, and integrity.