Six Steps for Success in Setting Goals

Hi Mummis,

I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing holiday break. The New Year is a beautiful time to reflect on how we are living and to create goals for what we want to pursue. I do not think of these as New Year’s resolutions. I see them as a natural opportunity for refinement.

Below, I am sharing six steps for setting goals in a way that actually supports follow through.

Step One: Reflect on Where You Are

To figure out where you want to go, you need to understand where you are starting from.

Find a quiet spot and grab a notebook. Take a moment to review your current reality across the areas of your life that matter most to you. Some starting points are listed below, but feel free to add anything that feels important.

• Family relationships

• Friends and romantic relationships

• Health and fitness

• Business or career

• Finances

• Adventure

• Personal development

• Spiritual connection

You can use any rating scale you like, such as 1 to 10, or simply note which areas feel solid and which feel less supported right now.

Be as honest as you can. You cannot grow a garden until you till the earth, and that process can get messy. Trust the future outcome more than the temporary discomfort of excavation. 💜

Step Two: Analyze Your Data

Now take a look at what you wrote down.

First, mentally catalogue the areas that are going well. If you want to journal about the pride you feel in those areas and acknowledge the effort you have put in, do it. You deserve to recognize your work.

Next, look at the areas you want to refine. Circle them or list them separately so you can return to them.

For now, simply identify where the work is. In the next step, we will begin breaking these areas into goals.

Step Three: Create SMART Goals

For each area you want to improve, focus on it individually and distill it into a SMART goal.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time Bound. There is plenty of information available online if you want to go deeper on this concept. But for now, we are moving from a loose idea to a clear action item.

Let’s walk through an example.

If one of my challenge areas was fitness and I wrote, “Lose 15 pounds,” how does that hold up in the SMART framework?

• Specific: yes

• Measurable: yes

That is a good start.

• But is it achievable? Do I have the time to adjust my movement or eating habits?

• Is it realistic? Are there medical considerations or patterns from my past that suggest I may need support?

• And what about time bound? In this example, that piece is missing.

Here is a tightened version:

Lose 15 pounds by June by meal prepping lunch each week and walking two miles three times per week.

This version is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound. The clearer our goals are, the better we can plan around them and the more likely we are to follow through.

Repeat this process for each challenge area on your list.

Do not panic as your list grows. You will not succeed by attacking everything at once. That approach leads to overwhelm, burnout, and a dusty list of dreams. We will be successful by being intentional about what comes first, which we focus on in the next step.

Step Four: Clarify Your Plan

In our course, Wellness 101, we go much deeper into how to turn goals into sustainable action plans. For a blog post, I will keep this part simple.

We look at goals through a SWOT lens, a framework that stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. For more information on this framework, just google SWOT- it's a very common practice in business planning.

Identify your top three or four goals. For each one, ask yourself:

• What strengths do I have that will support this goal?

• What weaknesses may require extra support?

• What opportunities exist right now?

• What threats could make this more challenging?

Jot these notes down next to each goal. This step adds clarity and helps prevent unnecessary frustration later.

Step Five: Create a Destination Summary

Now return to your notes and look at your top goals together.

The previous step should have helped you understand which goals feel most realistic and supportive right now.

This part is personal. Choose the goals you want to work on during this season. You are combining your SMART goals into a clear plan for the timeframe you have chosen. I personally plan by quarter and then break things down by month, week, and day, but do what fits your life.

A few things to consider:

If you are new to goal setting or feeling low on confidence, starting with one or two easier goals can be powerful. Early success builds momentum and trust in yourself.

If you notice a common thread across multiple goals, it may be worth addressing that core area first. Improvements there often ripple into other parts of life.

If you are energized by tackling the hardest things first, go for it.

Be realistic when stitching your goals together. Theoretical plans often underestimate time, energy, and resources. I know I tend to stack too much into my plans and then feel discouraged when it becomes heavy. Pace yourself.

Create a short paragraph that summarizes what you are working on and how you plan to get there, using your SMART goals for clarity. Any goals that did not make it into this round are not lost. They will be there when you are ready for your next season of growth.

Step Six: Pivot When Necessary

You are not a failure if you need to change your plan!

I want to say that clearly. Life is full, and sometimes unexpected responsibilities require adjustment. Extending a timeline, reducing a goal, or putting something on hold does not mean you failed. It means you are listening to your real life and supporting yourself wisely.

If you need extra support, consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or coach. The right support can help you distinguish between necessary adjustments and avoidance.

There is so much more I could share about goal setting, but this post is already long. If you want a more comprehensive, guided version of this process, our course Wellness 101 walks you through these steps and more at a self paced rhythm that fits your schedule. You can also book a coaching call. I would love to help you bloom.

If this post was helpful to you please share it with a friend! 🫶

Best of luck with 2026,

Sam 💜