Goal-Setting (my practical guide)
Has your New Year’s motivation failed to arrive?!
Or struggling to “get going” this year so far? If so - don’t worry; I’ve got you! In this blog you’ll get some insights from me into the sneaky reason we struggle with goals, some questions for you to shift your perspective and a few practical tips to help you create your habit system to help you get closer to what you want.
I will use the same framework I use in my signature coaching programme to tackle this topic (because I know it works!).
Sound good? Let’s get into it ⬇︎
My Hot Take
The Sneaky Reason We Struggle with Goals.
If a goal has been on your list for years, it’s clearly important to you.
Yet, you might struggle to get going or stop/start and find it hard to stick with your plans. Why?
Because our goals aren’t just about what we achieve; they’re about how we expect to feel once we reach them For example, “I want to get promoted” → I want to feel accomplished, successful, and proud. Or “I want to drop a dress size” → I want to feel confident and attractive. But here’s the catch: while we chase those emotions, we also resist the discomfort of the required change.
Let’s look at those examples again, “I want to get promoted, but I don’t want to feel out of my depth/under pressure and visible.” Or “I want to drop a dress size, but I don’t want to feel restricted or judged.”
See the pattern? The very thing we desire comes with challenges we’d rather avoid…so of course, it’s easier to procrastinate! Or keep researching the perfect plan. Or talk yourself out of it. In my world, as a coach and consultant, we call that resistance. And often that’s the thing that keeps us stuck.
Shift your perspective
If you’ve been spinning your wheels on a goal for a while, instead of try this:
1. What have I learned from my trial and error with this goal?
✦ What has actually worked before? Even small wins count.
✦ What made me give up or got in the way? Spot the patterns of your blockers.
2. Of the things that worked, rank them from easiest to hardest to stick with (consistently). What’s the easiest thing you could start TODAY?
✦ Start with small, manageable changes to build your confidence and tolerance. The smaller, the better at first.
✦ Avoid making drastic changes all at once. (I know it’s tempting when you feel motivated, but we all know its unsustainable).
Think of a snowball that picks up momentum as it rolls downhill.
When we start with EASY changes - making them part of your routine until it feels natural, they gain momentum and pave the way for more significant changes.
The easier something is = the more likely we will stick with it. And the trick to any sustained change is consistency.
Instead of starting from scratch, refine what already moved the needle.
Tangible Tips
Let’s bring this to life.
Close your eyes and visualise someone who has already nailed your goal and is enjoying living with the result. Maybe they’re thriving because of it.
Ask yourself:
✦ What daily habits help them maintain this success?
✦ What actions do they prioritise?
✦ What do they NOT do - and why?
This isn’t just a thought exercise. I want you to write this down.
This is now your roadmap.
If you made it this far - CONGRATULATIONS.
You’ve just mapped out the beginning of a winning system based on your future self.