The Importance of Goals and Having a Vision for Transformation
WHY ARE WE INTERESTED IN GOALS?
Health is not a goal but a launch pad. Goals provide the tools to clear the obstacles to vibrant, optimal health so that you can feel your best and be full of energy to accomplish your goals. You may not see that health is not a goal. You may want to get off sugar, lose weight, or have more energy, but for what?
WHAT A GOAL IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT
There are two steps to planning for your ideal life:
- Define your purpose.
- Choose activities to help you accomplish your goals.
What is a goal? A goal is the result. It’s what you’d like to achieve. It’s the big picture, and it generally remains consistent over time. We think of goals in terms of things like, relationships which might include well-adjusted children, your parents, your friends, your neighbors. In your career, it probably includes financial security as well as doing work you love that’s aligned with your goals.
What is an activity? An activity is the nuts and bolts – it’s how you accomplish the goals. It’s a means to an end and the steps you take, which may vary over a lifetime. Relationships may involve having one or perhaps more than one partner during your life. Children grow from babies to young adult to adulthood. Your original career will likely shift more than once.
- Where does the confusion come in? The confusion occurs for us when we begin to think of the activities as the goals. For example, you may say, “I will go to the gym three times a week” or “I will get a new job by the end of six months” or “I want to have more me time or more family time.” The activity should make sense to achieve the goal.
The question to ask, is why.
- Q| Why go to the gym?
- A| “To feel better in my body” or “To have more confidence”
- Q| Why change jobs?
- A| “For an increased financial security and personal growth”
- Q| Why spend more time with family and friends?
- A| “To feel more connected to the people I care about”
HOW TO DEFINE GOALS THAT ALIGN WITH YOUR VISION AND PURPOSE
Aim for congruity. Goals should be connected to who you really are, so you can have congruity between how you’re spending your time – your activities – and what you’re feeling inside. They should reflect your values or what you value. It is important to let your values drive your goals. You can divide your life into major categories to start to see the imbalances. The first way is to simply assess your: nutrition, relationships, career, spirituality, and physical activity. If you’re spending your time on only a few of these areas it usually means you have clear goals in those spheres. And perhaps, where you are spending very little of your time, your goals are not as clear. Ask yourself what you’d like to see in each of these areas.
Ask yourself, “Whose goals are these?” Are these your goals or someone else’s goals for you or even for them? Are they your parents’, peers’, spouse’s, children’s, or teachers’ goals? Avoid questioning whether you deserve it. It’s common to question your right to have what you dream of. But remember that the sky’s the limit. Don’t let fear limit you. Give yourself permission to make your dreams happen. Know that you are not married to your goals as you define them right now. They’re fluid. They do not have to be perfect. They will and should change as you do. Pick two or three to get started. Then one will lead to the next. Evaluate, re-calibrate, and let go when appropriate. If you find you’re not making headway toward a goal, it’s time to move on. This will free you to move toward goals that are more aligned with your core values and give yourself permission and honor that you may not be ready for this goal at this time.
HOW TO BRING YOUR GOALS TO ACTION
Get clear on what you want by creating a vision board!! I will be co-hosting an exciting new seminar on creating Vision Boards!! I will be partnering with Marianne Disipio-Vitale of Cavallo Wellness: cavallowellnessservices.com. She is a certified Wellness Coach with a degree in Occupational Therapy who is in private practice in Bearspaw and Bragg Creek. We are both VERY excited to work with you to bring your goals and ideas with intention to reality! Visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/vision-board-workshop-tickets-43218726374?aff=es2 to get your tickets ASAP for Saturday, March 10 from 10am–3pm! There is limited seating and tickets are going fast!
Want to get even healthier? You can now understand why setting goals is SO important to achieving transformation in your life! Want help figuring out how to set goals and make BIG changes? Curious about how health coaching can help you make your own healthy changes? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation. I work with people from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!
