Tips For Setting Meaningful Goals & Keeping Them

Hello my people!

If you’re anything like me, it’s in your nature to want to continue to grow, personally, professionally, and beyond. When we know where we want to be, we must begin to take action that leads us to our desired outcomes. Each decision is a vote towards or against your goals. Good goals focus on crafting practices that guide you to the best version of yourself. Good goals are unique because they allow space for you to pivot. They challenge you and keep you motivated. They allow you to dig deep inside and help you decide who you want to become.

Tips For Setting Good Goals:

1. Set Small, Measurable Goals
   I want you to dream big. I want you to set goals that are wild, and fascinating, and enchanting. Do that! Let your mind roam free. Capture your big dream and write them down. Then, we get to work. Map out your route by setting small, achievable goals for quick wins. You’ll soon see the momentum building and realize you’re capable of so much more than you ever let yourself believe. Set small, attainable, measurable goals that can be completed. Having an end in sight is far more motivating than setting perpetual goals like working out every day, the end. Small wins create momentum, leading to your next goal, and the next, and before you know it, these small changes have become a new way of life - one that you love and feel proud of. Ask yourself what a challenge would be, how you’ll measure success, and then start there. Where we’re challenged, we grow.

2. Get Clear On Your Why
   People set goals based on needs or wants. Goals developed around the latter, rarely make a lasting impact. If you’re looking to set goals that will transform your life for good, get clear on your needs. Identify what you must have, and create goals to help you get there. If your goal is to lose weight, ask yourself what that will do for you. If your only answer is to rock that bikini this summer, you may have a harder time committing when the going gets tough. Dig deeper and find meaning. You may want to lose weight to elevate the quality of your life, live long enough to see your grandkids grow up, and be around to make a difference in the world - now we’re getting somewhere. Find what truly motivates you. The why has to be big enough and tie into what you must have or the goal is likely to fall through. Spend time investing in this.

3. Take It Slow
   Remind yourself that good things take time. I know it can be easy to want to line up your goals, and hit go! But, I think that’s how so many of us run into burnout. I recommend picking 1 or 2 goals that will be the most beneficial to start right now. When you try to completely change your diet, exercise patterns, career goals, and create a checklist that’s miles long, the work ahead can quickly become overwhelming. Visualize the big picture, understand your why, then plan out the baby steps that are needed to get you there. Take it one step at a time and I promise you’ll get there - happier, healthier, and wiser than trying to tackle everything at once. Be kind to yourself and celebrate each win along the way.

Tips For Keeping Your Goals

1. Find Accountability
   Seriously, I know this can sound lame and it’s easier to keep your goals to yourself… but trust me here. Tell at least one person. Tell someone you trust, post it on your feed, find a group of people who are pursuing similar goals, heck call your family and let them know. Get it out there - talk about it. This will help it become a reality. We often fight harder with others watching than we would push ourselves alone. Set yourself up for success by finding accountability! There is power in community.

2. Talk To Yourself, A Lot!
   I’m serious. Have you heard the things you tell yourself? Let’s take the power back. As you begin your new goal, write yourself motivational messages, outline your why, and be your biggest cheerleader in print! For years we have believed and told lies about ourselves, to ourselves. We wake up and passively accept the negative thought patterns ruling our mindset. Let’s flip the script. Stop listening to your limiting beliefs, and get active. Get intentional by feeding your mind all the good things you know and love about the decisions you’ve made. Flood your house with sticky notes, set reminders in your phone, write something in your journal that reminds you of your non-negotiable why. Change your desktop and screen savers, do anything that will visually remind you of, and celebrate the fact that you’re committed to doing the hard work to invest in yourself and to live a life you love.

3. Defeat The Challenges Before They Happen
   Now I’m not just talking about meal prep, career mapping, and date setting. Those are important, but what I want to focus on is predicting the challenges to come. Go ahead, before you even start, ask yourself, “What are the potential roadblocks that could keep me from achieving my goal?” For me, it’s laying my workout clothes out on the dresser the night before a workout. I can talk myself out of anything with “I just don’t have time", cut the bullsh*t, stop the cycle, and get ahead of yourself. Think about social elements, eating out, what your friends will say, how you think you might fail, how you’ll feel when you don’t want to get up. What are the excuses you give yourself over and over again, that work? Let’s identify those and just put them to rest now. You’ll be so glad you did. Map out the problems and create a solution. You know yourself better than anyone. When the problem arises, you’ll recognize it as a roadblock. When the time comes, you’ll be able to quickly take action through your predetermined solution and dismiss anything that is not aligned with your goals.

10 Questions To Ask When Considering Breaking, Changing, or Pivoting From Your Goal:

I want to address and dismiss the guilt we feel when we break a promise we make to ourselves. When you’re facing a decision or temptation to break a promise, goal, or commitment to yourself - ask yourself the questions below.

1. What am I feeling right now? Why?
   Understanding and getting real about the why behind your actions is key. When you think about keeping or altering a commitment you made, dig deep to figure out the core issue you’re facing.

2. Do the pros of this choice outweigh the cons?
   This can take 2 minutes, or 2 hours. You decide.

3. What area of my holistic wellness needs attention right now?
   (nutrition, physical movement, relationships, spirituality, career, self-care)
   Where can I support my needs in as many areas as possible? Prioritize don’t neglect. Is there a way I can keep my commitment and also support other areas of my health?

4. Get honest with yourself. What’s driving this need to make this change?
   Laziness, Overwhelm, Ego, Self Confidence, Boredom, Distraction, Environmental Elements, Something else? No judgment, just acceptance, and truth.

5. Am I being pulled to something else out of love and passion, or backing out of something because of fear or discomfort?
   It’ss natural to cling to “comfortable”, and revert back to old ways when things get challenging.

6. Am I being real with myself? Is there another viewpoint I can take or a friend I can talk to for advice?

7. Am I going to celebrate my decision now and one month down the road?
   Although we can face setbacks and challenges, it’s so important to be able to look back and feel good about choosing what’s best for you. This can look like many different outcomes. It could be celebrating your decision to roll out of bed for the 6 am workouts, or it can look like celebrating your decision to rest. Only you truly know what your body needs. Get real with yourself, you deserve it.

8. What would I tell my best friend asking for the same advice on this decision?
   This is the best piece of advice I could ever give you. Use this for everything you go through. We so often forget to show ourselves the same amount of love, respect, motivation, and support we would extend to our best friends and family going through the same thing! Why is this? Practice getting out of your head. Imagine your best friend phoning and presenting this issue - what would you advise her/him?

9. Was this the wrong goal?
   There is no shame in learning and growing through a goal you once set, but have come to realize isn’t actually aligned with your highest self. Your time is never wasted. There is great strength in discovering you were off path or chasing something that wasn’t aligned with your best self, then deciding on a new direction.

The key to navigating goals is to always check in with yourself. I’ve come to learn that there is freedom when we realize we have the power to choose - always. This is by no means an invitation to not practice self-control, diligence, discipline, and honoring commitments you keep. I believe honoring and following through with what you choose for your ultimate health will always be one of the most rewarding, confidence-boosting, authentic kinds of love you can give to yourself.

Understanding how to pivot, modify, and find a new direction is also highly rewarding. Enjoy and keep kicking your goals in the ass.

with love,
Kendall