How To Set Goals & Actually Accomplish Them
Let’s be honest: We've all written down "Drink more water, become a millionaire, heal childhood wounds, and start running to complete a marathon" on a random Monday, convinced this is the week we become a whole new person.
Fast forward: it’s Sunday, your water bottle is still in the dishwasher, your childhood wounds are texting you back, and the only marathon you ran was a Netflix one (oops). So what gives?
Turns out, goals don’t work unless you do (I literally hate it here)… but there is a way to work smarter, not harder (and yes, still leave room for Netflix - because I gotta know if those couples from Love is Blind and Married at First Sight stay together or not). Here’s how:
1. Set "Actually Doable" Goals
Forget “huge” for a second. Aim for tiny, but mighty.
Not so great goal: “Write a book.”
Better goal: “Write 300 words three times a week for one month.”
Why? Because your brain loves dopamine, and checking off small wins is its version of a party.
2. Make Your Goals Specific Enough That Even a Tired Version of You Gets It (cause you’re soooo damn tired)
If your goal is “to get in shape,” that could mean literally anything — yoga, CrossFit, a single lunge or sit up and then crying…or like, thinking you can hold a plank for 10 minutes…cute.
Instead of: “Be healthier”
Use: “Do a 20-minute walk M/W/F during lunch” or “add one green thing to every dinner (no, not weed or a gummy bear, cmon now haha).”
Clarity and specificity kill procrastination. Vague goals are just dreams wearing yoga pants eating Cheetos (mm.. Cheetos).
3. Put Your Goals Where You Can See Them
You wouldn’t keep your grocery list in your brain and expect to remember the almond milk, would you? No. So, post your freaking goals somewhere…like:
On your mirror
In your planner
As your phone wallpaper
Notes app on your phone
Tattooed on your forehead (ok…maybe not this one, but you catch my drift)
You need a visual reminder that Past You had dreams. Otherwise, Present You is going to scroll TikTok for 3 hours and forget.
4. Build a System, Not Just a Goal
Goals are the destination, but systems are the Apple Maps. So you really want to run a marathon? Cool. What’s your system?
Run 3x/week.
Prep clothes the night before.
Join a running group with people who don’t ghost your accountability texts.
Stretch and Recovery for 15 minutes/daily
Systems are what make goals sustainable. Motivation gets tired (trust me, I have paused writing this blog for like 2 months already). Systems keep going.
5. Expect to Mess Up and Keep Going Anyway
Spoiler Alert: You will skip a day. You will eat the entire bag of Goldfish. You will avoid the hard task until suddenly cleaning the baseboards feels urgent (love a good manic cleaning sesh).
But this doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re human. Real progress looks like this:
Day 1: Check
Day 2: Check
Day 3: Oops, no check
Day 4: Back at it again, check
Success isn’t perfection — it’s returning faster after the mess-ups…give yourself some freaking grace already, ok?
6. Celebrate Like a Confetti-Throwing Maniac
Did you walk three times this week? Yell “I’m amazing!” out loud (like open your door and yell it outside). Did you finally send that email? Text your best friend like you just got a Grammy. Celebration reinforces behavior. Your brain is basically Pavlov’s dog, so treat yo’self.
I KNOW YOU DIDN’T READ ALL OF THIS; I summed it up for all you “goal getters…”
To actually accomplish your goals:
Make ‘em tiny and clear
Write them down
Build a system
Forgive your mess-ups
Celebrate your wins like they’re Super Bowl touchdowns (pelvic thrust wooooo)
Oh — and drink that water…cause it’s a basic need.
Final Thought:
You don’t need a “new you.” You need a supported you. A strategic you. A laughing-through-the-stress you. So start small, stay consistent, and don’t forget…you can absolutely become someone who follows through (even if you’re still wearing pajama pants right now - it’s Saturday who cares).
