You Want To Make Authentic Change But Feel Stuck

How clarity will bring your goals to life

You've read the best-selling self-help books. 

You're a devoted listener of helpful podcasts. 

You follow writers on social media that feed you daily insights.

You're starting to understand what it means to grow. 

But how do you make these changes you've been thinking about real? 

I often hear from people on Instagram who want to make life changes but feel stuck. They can't figure out how to take charge and turn their thoughts into meaningful actions. It makes them feel frustrated and often makes them want to give up trying altogether.

The problem is this:

They don't have true clarity about their goals.

If you’re having a hard time making progress, this could be you too.

Now, you probably feel you already have a clear idea of how you want to grow. 

The truth is that you likely don't. 

Ideas feel much larger in our minds than they really are. That's why writing can be soul-crushing for some people. They feel like they have a huge idea blasting through their head like a lightning bolt. Then, when they sit down to write out that idea, they discover they have about ten words in their head rather than a grand manifesto. This happens when we mistake our emotional enthusiasm for substance.

To make an authentic change, you must narrow your focus and become precise about your goal. 

Doing so: 

–gives you a well-defined target to aim for

–allows you to track your progress and be accountable

–helps you understand where to make adjustments if needed

To do this:

1. Write down what change you'd like to make. 

2. Then make it more precise and simple. 

3. Then define it so that it's put into action. 

4. Then anchor it by being clear about the time involved. 

For example, say you've been thinking, "I'd like to start meditating." 

That's a great goal, but if we look at that sentence, we can see that it's vague and has no real direction. 

The mindset is also telling as the sentence opens with "I'd like to" instead of "I am going to."

It's also missing key information such as:

–When are we going to start? 

–What days of the week?

–How long will we meditate a day?

–What style will we practice? 

–Will we use guided meditations? 

–How many sessions will we shoot for in the next 30 days? 

Now, let's add the criteria from above to that sentence. 

Redefine your goal as follows: 

"I'm going to start meditating tomorrow. I'll research good beginner's guided meditations to get started. I'll meditate for ten minutes after waking up. I’ll aim to meditate every day for the next thirty days. If I don't feel I'm progressing, I'll try different techniques, times of day, teachers, or durations."

Now we're talking. We have a clearly defined goal with good criteria. This makes our desired changes real rather than an idea that will get lost in the shuffle. 

Of course, you can apply this focusing technique to any change you want to make. Professional, relationships, personal health, wealth goals–you name it. 

Defining what you're aiming for and how you'll get there helps you see the other side of the canyon. And that's how you learn where to build your bridge.

That’s all for today, friends.

Much love.

Journal Prompt

What are three ways you could make your goals more clear?

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