How to set yourself Better Goals (It’s About the Journey, NOT the Destination)

I used to get hung up on setting gigantic goals for myself. 

I wanted to create a super high converting sales funnel...and get it up in under a week. 

I wanted a 10x ROI (return on investment) for every ad I put out…

I wanted to have 50k, 100k, 200k launches! 

Yep, totally achievable right?

As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get hung up on the numbers, the endless tasks, the big financial goals.  

When we’re working towards our goals it’s easy to be consumed by the end result.

But the end result is not really what it’s all about. 

The more important thing to focus on is the process you experience along the way. Celebrating the little wins. Resetting when life gets in the way and you fall off the horse (or out of the gym, or into a bag of potato chips). 

What goals are you working towards right now? 

Maybe you want to lose weight or eat vegetables with every meal or meditate daily? 

Are you getting hung up on the end result too? 

Do you feel like a failure if you have a setback or skip a day or two?

Maybe it’s time to reevaluate how you’re setting your goals.  

So what makes a good goal anyway?

Good goals are  S.M.A.R.T. goals. 

This is a commonly used acronym to help you set specific goals based on your personal desires. It seems obvious, but I can’t tell you how many of my clients don’t set themselves S.M.A.R.T. goals. 

Are you making the same mistakes?

Step One: Get Specific.  

Vague goals like “I want to lose weight” don’t work. That’s a dumb goal. Why do you want to lose weight? To have more energy? To feel healthier? To feel confident in a bikini? 

How much weight do you want to lose? 5 pounds? 10 pounds? 20 pounds?? 

Let’s get specific and change that goal into a smart goal 

“I want to lose 5 pounds by the 30th June so I can fit into my favourite dress for my brother's wedding.” 

Step Two: Make it Measurable 

How will you know when you’ve reached your goal?

If we look at the example above you’ll know you’ve reached your goal when that dress looks bangin’ on your bod!

Step Three: Is it Attainable? 

Let’s keep things realistic and healthy. 

Losing 5 pounds in a month is an attainable number. Dropping 20 pounds in a month would be an unattainable and likely a potentially dangerous goal. 

R: Is it Realistic? 

Similar to attainable, your goal should be realistic. If right now you’re struggling to exercise for longer than 15 minutes at a time, suddenly forcing yourself to do hour-long workouts everyday is a recipe for failure. Keep it realistic. Small incremental changes add up overtime.   

T: Is it Timely? 

Your brother's wedding date is set in stone! Once you’ve settled on a date, consider how you’re going to achieve your goal by that deadline. A coach or trainer can be helpful in setting timeframes and keeping you on track. 

Depending on whatever your specific health goals are right now, your success might look like...

• New found confidence in how you look and feel
• Easily lifting up the kids
• Comfortably fitting into an old pair of pants
• Efficiently moving through day-to-day tasks
• Noticing a positive shift in your mindset
• Avoiding procrastination and taking action
• OR whatever you may see as an improvement in your overall health

So next time you set yourself a goal ask yourself the above questions and record your answers. 

Take the time to write them out. Putting pen to page will help you solidify reasonable goals to work on, as well as help you make a commitment to them. Post them in a place you will see them each day to remind you what you’re working towards and stay motivated!

When I work 1-1 with clients we often start with the big goals. We set  SMART goals for the next month, three months & year ahead.

Most women I work with have the mindset that everything (all of their happiness and fulfilment) will come from achieving these one or two BIG goals. They won’t feel accomplished UNTIL they’ve reached some predetermined marker for success. 

Your happiness, your contentment - your satisfaction in life - can’t be based on obtaining a single goal. Because as you reach each goal you’ll set a new one. And if your happiness depends on ticking off the next goal...well then, you’ll never be satisfied or happy!

This is a common occurrence for high achieving women. I know it is for me anyway. And as I’m growing into my role as a business owner & entrepreneur, I see that the work I’m doing is not about getting to some specific place in the future, it's about enjoying the journey as it unfolds. 

Goals are important, but they’re not the most critical part of the story.

My story isn’t simply marked by the major milestones I’ve accomplished along the way but about the little moments in between.

My story will be told about the small stuff, the days spent traveling or with my family or enjoying great food.

When I reflect on my path, I don’t see a destination in where I am today, I see the journey I’ve up

experienced up until now. 

And I look forward to the continued journey that’s ahead of me.

Goals, like our lives, should be treated as a part of the process but not the ultimate crux of our experience.

So, do you need some help with your success mindset? Would you like to learn more about setting better goals for yourself? 

Get It Together in my not-so-average goal-setting workshop, where I share my secret strategies for reaching your goals with ease (without relying on willpower!)