When trying to create a meaningful life, setting time aside for goals that matter is often the most difficult part. With over-scheduled calendars, multiple priorities, and a lack of physical and mental energy, it becomes increasingly difficult to “find the time” to work on life goals.

We end up fulfilling our obligations towards others without attending to our own heart-centered needs and desires. The end result is doing things for others without checking in to see if this is aligned with how we want to live our lives. When we try to squeeze in our own goals (if we remember them) we often end up hustling and heading for burnout.

We may find ourselves in a job or relationship we hate, feel empty and depleted when children leave the house, or question our own life when loved ones pass away. We experience an emptiness without clearly knowing what we are missing. Our life has become a carefully choreographed play that is void of soulful goals and desires that are truly meaningful to us.

Here are my five powerful steps to move from empty hopes and dreams to actually achieving your goals.

1. Define your legacy

What do you want to be known for? This can be something like “I want to make a difference in other people’s lives”, or “I want to create access to healthy food for everyone”.

If you don’t know what your legacy is, take some time to journal what is meaningful to you. A five to ten-minute journaling reflection either in the morning or before bed can help you unlock what has true meaning for you. Taking a variety of classes or attending special interest gatherings can help you identify what makes you feel alive and passionate. Especially during these challenging times, it is paramount that we set meaningful goals for ourselves and pursue them.

2. Find your guiding word for the year

An easy way to make decisions based on what is meaningful to you is using a guiding word. This simple word will be your north star or guidepost. It is overarching and captures your goals for the year. Common words are “Balance”, “Implementation”, “Freedom” or “Love”. 

Use your word as a filter to see if any new project or commitment is in alignment with what you want to create. For example, you may ask yourself if agreeing to spearhead the new PTA initiative supports the balance you want to achieve during the year before you agree to take on this additional responsibility. It may be in alignment if balance means finding meaningful activities outside of your job. It may not be in alignment if you are already struggling to find time for yourself.

If you don’t yet have a word for the year, don’t worry. You can choose one at any time. Reflect on what you would like to see come to fruition during the year and what feels right to you. Remember, this word may only have meaning for you and give you a deep sense of direction. Find some time to listen to the quiet voice inside your heart.

3. Create your big vision using vision boards

Once you know your legacy and guiding word for the year it’s time to get more specific.

Vision boards help you create a visual representation of what you want to achieve. It’s imperative that you spend some reflective time before bringing your vision board to life. Journaling and meditation are excellent ways to unlock heart-centered goals that go beyond a new car and a dream vacation.

A well-crafted vision board will have you jumping out of bed each morning with a focused intention of pursuing your goals each day. Some days you will have only a little bit of time to work towards your goals, other times it may be more. Keep in mind that 4 hours each week devoted to your dream will change your life.

4. Set SMARTer goals.

You may have heard about SMART goals. They stand for:

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Relevant

• Time-bound.

Turning a dream or intention into reality can’t happen without setting specific goals to get you there. When we can measure them, we are more likely to work on them. We can track our progress and stay motivated. 

I believe that keeping goals achievable often keeps us playing small instead of stretching beyond what we think we can accomplish and feel comfortable with. I like to make my goals aligned and meaningful instead. It will force me to think bigger and step outside of my comfort zone to do what is necessary to achieve them. 

I prefer to have a real goal instead of a relevant goal. To me real means it is an actual part of “the big scary goal” that I want to achieve, not just related, easy to achieve, or something I need to do because society expects me to. This may be a subtle point. A real goal means I am willing to go for it instead of pursuing it halfheartedly because it is something I am supposed to do. Real goals are brought forth by a deep desire within ourselves and are stepping stones towards the deeper life goals we set out for ourselves. 

Making a goal time-bound is critical to getting it done. It’s the endpoint or date by which you want to achieve this goal. It helps you define the daily and weekly steps that need to be put into place. Without an end date, goals start to float away. 

5. Establish daily and weekly habits

Daily and weekly habits assure that your goals become reality.

For example, if one of your goals is to have more energy throughout your day it will only happen when you examine your overall health from a physical and emotional perspective. Unless you are eating nutrient-rich foods, you will need to adjust your diet to incorporate the foods that help you feel more alive and vibrant. You will need to set up a daily schedule to get enough sleep during the night. It may require you to set new boundaries to allow for more time to meditate and exercise.

Track your daily activities for a week or two to see where you are spending your time. Are these activities getting you closer to your goals? If not, begin to make changes to what you allow onto your to-do list. You will find more information about establishing sustainable daily and weekly habits to achieve more without stress and burnout in my new ebook at http://bit.ly/3a0KwXO

Waltraud has years of experience in helping others achieve their life, business, and health goals. She hosts a variety of online workshops and events throughout the year addressing health challenges, sabotaging beliefs and habits, and ways to break free from stress and burnout.

Click here to learn more about her offerings or to schedule a chat with Waltraud.