2019 - Setting Goals... Or Not?

Sup fam.

I’ve written a lot in the past about goals. How to set goals, how to formulate tactics to hit those goals, how to measure them, how to make sure you’re setting the goals in the right places — all of it.

2019 is inching up on us, and normally, this would be my time to re-evaluate my entire life and set perfect goals to make 2019 perfect.

I used to spend hours of my life setting goals and perfect plans to reach them — sometimes treating my life like an integrated marketing plan — with goals, strategies, objectives, and tactics.

But those never worked.

Throughout the years, as I’ve developed these plans, I have failed at them. I have failed to hit each perfect tactic as I have instead gone after things deep down in my bones that have pulled at me — innately drawing me to them.

For example, I got a job and moved to Boston. Was it because I told myself to apply for X amount of jobs a week? No. It was because when I felt an urge to apply, I did (and did a lot). When I got to Boston, I was promoted. Was it because I put it in my plan? No, it’s because I have an inherent trait to acheive and I knew it was what I wanted. When I saved enough money to pay for my personal health program, was it because I followed a perfectly planned savings budget? No — it’s because I spent more intentionally and saved because I knew I had to — I wanted to.

What I’m getting at here is this.

I have realized that for me, I need a few things to be successful. First, I need to be honest with myself about what I want and what I’d like to work toward. Then, I need to allow myself the space and freedom to change my mind at ANY time if I want to.

Second, I need to trust my gut and intuition in reaching these goals. I need to trust that after years of setting perfectly crafted, measurable goals to get there — I’ve realized that is just not for me.

Because trust is for me.

Trusting that I will find my way and go toward the things I want the most is what works for me.

Because the truth is I’ve always reached my deepest goals. I’ve just made it insanely hard for myself. By setting insane plans to get there, or going toward goals that I never even wanted in the first place. Or worse still, being too scared to change my path when my heart and soul change too.

So it’s time to choose trust. To choose my gut. To choose my instinct. To choose my urges.

Now, will I always “feel” like doing the right thing? No, I won’t. Some days I’ll want to sleep in, leave early — not take care of myself. But my gut will tell me different. My gut will tell me to go toward what I want in the end.

And if it doesn’t, or if the signal is just not strong enough at that moment, I’ll forgive myself when I fail and try again. If the signal to step back and remember what I want isn’t there at all, I’ll evaluate and adjust my goals, rather than setting myself up for failure by continuing to go for goals that I no longer know in my heart to be true.

Because people change.

And that’s okay.

So this year, I’m not setting my normal monthly strategies and tactics. I’m not writing a list of things I need to accomplish.

I know what I want, at least right now. And I trust myself to know how to get there.

I trust that.

I believe that.

I’m going for that.

And maybe part of the reason I’m not setting crazy plans this time around is that I don’t feel that anything is “wrong” in my life — that I don’t need fixing as much as I need, and want, growing. It’s not urgent anymore — not desperate. I am me, and I like it that way.

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You’ll be shocked to know that one of the things I want to work on is simply following my gut. Of exploring, discovering my curiousity and trusting it, seeing where the road may go — being open to it when it winds and turns.

I’m excited to continue down a path of ambition in my career, personal, and relationship growth — but I’m even more excited to take a new route this time. A more relaxed, gracious, and free way.

Because where will it go?

I’m pretty excited to find out.

Is this way for you? Maybe not. We’re all different. Maybe you need to save $X amount a month or read 20 minutes a day. That’s fine — great, too.

Do what’s right for you, because I bet if you just trust yourself, you know exactly what that it is.