Goal-Setting Seldom Works; But This Always Does

Goal-setting has a place. Don’t get me wrong. However, I’ve noticed that familiarity and other life demands generally supersede and preclude a person’s stated goals. As such, steps are superior.

You can always return to steps. You can always work steps, even when sick, even when busy, even when overwhelmed. Goals, on the other hand, can become closer or more distant based on simple realities which are out of our control.

I’ve seen many people who mistook themselves as “goal-driven” or “goal-oriented”; and they give up when things get hard. Their goals seem to have moved. So, they reason, “why bother working steps?”

But of course in a moment of sober assessment, it’s clear. We were never able to do anything except work steps. It’s an illusion that we could do anything else. Speaking of sobriety, observe the sober community for a moment. Watch someone at the 10 year, 20 year, 30 year mark. Did they goal-set their way to the 20 year sober mark? Of course not. “One day at a time” is the mantra. Steps are the path.

Likewise, with anything worthwhile in life, just work steps. And take away the pressure of goal. Product will only ever come with working steps, not by writing down and announcing goal. Ceremonies of announcement are nice. But look no further than opulent and ostentatious weddings to find that the bigger the announcement, the higher the divorce rate: https://bestlifeonline.com/more-likely-to-get-divorced/. People who focus on simple steps, quieter proclamation, are actually much more successful at whatever journey they embark on.

Even in my industry, I’ve learned over and over again that the most showy trainers and coaches are usually just millimeters from suicide or total financial ruin. As I’ve come to know some of the influencers who “have it all together,” I discover they are less financially stable than when I began in the fitness industry 17 years ago. Mistakenly, they take their success with fitness goals as a template for business or deep personal development; and inside, they’re just empty. Moreover, they’re usually pontificating and giving advice on life balance while a keen observer can see they can’t hold anything together other than a six pack.
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Forget the big announcement. Forget the big talk. Forget conventional goal-setting. Just work steps. Productive, healthy steps. One day at a time.