Level Up Your Goal Setting: 5 Hidden Keys to Achievement
- Lay Jordan
- Jun 14
- 9 min read
As we reach the mid-year mark, have you taken time to evaluate your goals honestly? Are they still aligned with where you want to be, or is it time for a strategic reset? This week on the A Little Atypical Podcast, "53. 5 Steps to an Effective Mid-Year Reset," we explored how to evaluate and adjust your goals for maximum impact.
The episode dives deep into creating a guide that helps you stay accountable while remaining flexible enough to adapt to life's changes. Before exploring the insights below about common goal-setting oversights, I recommend listening to Episode 53 to understand the way to reset and realign your goals effectively. If you enjoy my content, don’t forget to follow the podcast to never miss an episode and rate it 5 stars so more like-minded people can find it as well.
Episode No. 53
Where to listen:
Whether you're feeling stuck in your current goals or looking to optimize your approach to achievement, this episode provides practical tools for resetting and recommitting to your aspirations. We discuss how to identify what's working, what needs adjustment, and how to move forward with renewed clarity and purpose.
In this blog post, we'll explore five crucial insights that can revolutionize your goal-setting approach. When combined with the mid-year reset strategies from Episode 53, these perspectives can help you create a more effective and sustainable path to achievement.
1. The One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Goals
Goals naturally fall into two categories: building goals and boosting goals. This fundamental distinction shapes how we approach our aspirations and determines the resources and strategies we'll need for success.
Building Goals vs. Boosting Goals
Building goals emerges in areas of life where we're starting fresh or have limited experience. They require patience, exploration, and a willingness to learn from the ground up. For instance, someone new to dating might focus on understanding their preferences in partners and learning to navigate romantic connections. Similarly, a recent graduate might concentrate on discovering their professional interests, establishing initial industry connections, and developing fundamental workplace skills.
Boosting goals, in contrast, applies to established areas where we seek growth or wish to prevent stagnation. Consider a long-term couple working to maintain romance amidst daily responsibilities, or an experienced professional aiming to enhance leadership capabilities, deepen industry expertise, or transition into senior roles. These goals build upon existing foundations rather than creating new ones.
Success hinges on recognizing which type of goal you're pursuing. Building goals requires significantly more effort and resources since you're starting from scratch. Without established patterns, you'll need extensive foundational work, guidance, and patience (plus the resilience to handle unexpected challenges). The stakes feel higher with building goals because they often represent major life changes or new directions. While this journey becomes easier as you discover what works for you, the initial uncertainty and learning curve can be particularly demanding. In contrast, boosting goals arise from a desire for positive change or avoiding stagnation in areas where you already have experience. Since you're working with familiar territory, setbacks in boosting goals tend to feel less devastating (they're more about optimization and growth rather than fundamental change).
Key Takeaway: Identify whether you're building or boosting, and adjust your approach accordingly. Building goals require more exploration and foundational work, while boosting goals focus on enhancement and optimization.
2. The Expert vs. Perspective Dilemma
While seeking expert advice is valuable, sometimes what we really need is perspective and emotional support. The common advice "Don't take advice from someone you wouldn't want to switch lives with" holds some truth, but the reality is more nuanced. Different goals require different types of guidance. Sometimes we need expertise, and other times we need someone who understands our emotional landscape.
Consider someone navigating multiple life transitions, simultaneously dealing with career uncertainty, the end of a long-term relationship, and complex family dynamics. They might be struggling with an unfulfilling job, health challenges, and the emotional aftermath of a relationship where trust was broken. In such situations, expert advice about job searching or relationship recovery might fall flat if the person isn't emotionally ready to implement it.
What often helps more in these moments is connecting with others who have walked similar paths and found their way through. While expert advice focuses on "what to do," perspective helps us understand "how to be" while we're doing it. When someone is dealing with emotional turmoil, they might know exactly what steps to take, but lack the emotional bandwidth to execute them. The key is recognizing whether your current obstacle requires technical knowledge or emotional understanding. Sometimes, healing must come before action.
Key Takeaway: Assess whether your current obstacle requires expert knowledge or an emotional perspective. Sometimes, understanding comes before execution.
3. The Framework Fixation
Popular goal-setting frameworks often promise universal solutions, but life rarely fits into such neat boxes. While I've seen these frameworks work wonders for some goals, they've fallen frustratingly short for others. The reality is that our lives are beautifully complex: we experience natural ebbs and flows in our energy, navigate health challenges that affect our daily capacity, and juggle responsibilities that don't always align with rigid weekly plans.
Consider someone managing hormonal health conditions while building a career from scratch. Their energy levels might fluctuate dramatically throughout the month, so making strict weekly targets feels more defeating than motivating. Or think about a content creator balancing multiple projects while job hunting. Their journey requires a more nuanced approach than traditional frameworks typically offer.
The truth is, many popular frameworks were designed with a specific type of person in mind. Often, it is someone who already has established foundations in life, stable support systems, and predictable daily rhythms.
But what about those starting from different circumstances? Those building everything from the ground up, managing chronic health conditions, or balancing multiple major life transitions at once? These situations call for a more adaptable, compassionate approach to goal achievement.
Key Takeaway: Adapt frameworks to your unique circumstances rather than forcing yourself to fit into a predetermined system.
4. The Reflection Rush
A single week of reflection and planning between goal cycles isn't enough time to properly evaluate your progress and prepare for the next phase. Instead of rushing into new tactics, it's more effective to implement a maintenance plan while taking time for thorough reflection. For instance, if you've been working on weight loss through multiple strategies (like daily step goals, meal prep, strength training, supplements, and hydration), use this extended reflection period to analyze which tactics worked for you over the past two months.
During this time, you can maintain the successful habits you've built while thoughtfully evaluating what needs adjustment. This approach prevents losing momentum while giving you space to plan your next phase carefully. For example, if tracking steps and meal prep showed clear benefits but other tactics proved less effective, you can focus on maintaining these two successful habits while developing new complementary strategies for your next cycle.
This extended reflection period also allows you to examine your progress more holistically. You might discover that while you haven't reached your target weight, you've developed sustainable healthy habits, increased your energy levels, or improved your relationship with food. These valuable insights, which might be missed in a rushed weekly review, can help shape more effective and personalized strategies for your next goal cycle.
Key Takeaway: Schedule regular deep reflection periods that match the scope and complexity of your goals.
5. The Self-Honesty Hurdle
When setting goals, we often struggle with complete self-honesty. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we might avoid acknowledging our true aspirations, limitations, or current circumstances. This self-deception can manifest in setting goals that look good on paper but don't align with our authentic desires.
For example, someone might set a goal to climb the corporate ladder when their heart yearns for creative entrepreneurship. By not being honest about what truly motivates us, we set ourselves up for decreased enthusiasm and eventual goal abandonment. True progress begins with honest self-assessment and goal-setting.
This misalignment often stems from external pressures such as societal expectations, family traditions, or perceived financial security. We might pursue a prestigious law degree when our passion lies in teaching, or chase a six-figure salary in a field that drains our energy. The cost of this dishonesty isn't just failed goals; it's the loss of time and energy that could have been invested in pursuing our genuine aspirations.
The solution lies in creating a safe space for self-reflection, where we can examine our true motivations without judgment. Ask yourself: "If success were guaranteed and money wasn't a concern, what would I choose to do?" Often, the immediate answer reveals our authentic desires, helping us set goals that genuinely resonate with our values and aspirations.
Key Takeaway: Practice radical honesty in your goal-setting process. Acknowledge your true desires and limitations, even if they don't fit conventional expectations.
Turning Goal-Setting Wisdom into Real-World Wins
Setting meaningful goals isn't just about following frameworks or checking boxes; it's about understanding yourself and creating a path that resonates with your journey. By understanding the core elements of effective goal-setting (from goal types to mindset shifts), you can create a more powerful approach to achievement.
Whether you're starting fresh or building on existing foundations, remember that your goal-setting journey is uniquely yours. By implementing these insights thoughtfully and staying true to your vision, you'll be better equipped to create lasting change and meaningful progress in all areas of your life.
As you move forward, let these principles guide you toward more intentional, sustainable, and fulfilling goals. After all, true success isn't just about reaching destinations - it's about growing and learning along the way.
I hope you enjoyed this post and found it interesting. Also, if you like my content, it would mean the world to me if you would also subscribe to my YouTube channel, my Pinterest, and my TikTok account. On YouTube, I have the most inspirational content from Lifestyle Design posts to Digital "open when..." letters to boost your mood. I also keep a copy of my podcast episodes (which are also available on Spotify). I decided that I am honoring what feels right to me and continuously working on building the life of my dreams and helping others do the same. Don’t forget to share this if you feel inspired, and I will have more content for you soon.
Until next time, butterflies 🦋 Sincerely yours
Xoxo,
Lay 💋
Episode 53 Description
Ready for a fresh start? Join us for an empowering episode on mastering the art of the mid-year reset! Whether you're feeling stuck with abandoned New Year's resolutions or seeking clarity for the second half of the year, this episode provides practical strategies to realign your goals and reignite your motivation.
Key Topics:
The psychology behind goal-setting and why mid-year is the perfect time to reset
How to overcome goal-setting guilt and transform it into productive energy
Practical steps to evaluate, adjust, and achieve your 2025 goals
Creating sustainable systems that work with your lifestyle
Special card reading for spiritual guidance and reflection
Perfect for anyone feeling overwhelmed by unmet goals, seeking direction, or ready to transform their approach to personal development. Whether you're a productivity enthusiast or just starting your self-improvement journey, this episode offers valuable insights to help you finish the year strong.
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Music by Remil - Evening Tea - https://thmatc.co/?l=DFECB5D4
Section | Timestamp | Notes |
Introduction: Embracing the Mid-Year Moment | 00:00 | 🌟 Highlights:
|
Detailed 5-Step Guide to Mid-Year Reset | 01:02 | 🌟 Highlights:
Perfect for productivity enthusiasts, career changers, and anyone feeling stuck with their 2025 goals! |
A Gentle Reminder: Be Kind to Yourself During Your Reset | 17:36 | 🌟 Highlights:
Perfect for anyone struggling with perfectionism, goal-related anxiety, or seeking a more balanced approach to personal development! |
Card Pull | 18:58 | The wild spirit animal card deck: The Golden egg |
What I'm grateful for | 22:09 | Starting a new role in my ideal industry |
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