I want to write a book.
I want to lose 70 pounds.
I want to read the Bible in one year.
I want to learn Spanish.
I want to read 100 books.
These are all goals I’ve had before—Some I have achieved and some I’m still working on.
Maybe you want to lose weight, achieve a professional goal, or read 100 books in a year. Whatever the goal, setting goals is a great thing to do!
But for many of us, achieving them is hard to do.
For many years I would set goals like, “learn Spanish or lose x amount of pounds.” And I would find myself stuck in the cycle of setting goals but coming up short.
Until about 8 years ago when I changed my approach.
I stopped making outcome goals and started making input goals.
In life there are unexpected detours, delays and bumps along the way that we have zero control over.
When making a goal like, “I want to lose ten pounds by summer,” I leave no room for life. And, the moment an unexpected detour comes along, we bail all together.
So, instead of, “I want to lose ten pounds by summer” I look at what can I do everyday, or week that will move me towards that goal.
Sure, I can say—workout everyday. But that’s not realistic or sustainable. I could also say—workout at 5am. But if I’m not a morning person, that will most likely be short lasting.
I ask myself, “What is the least you can do right now?” I can workout 3 days a week or 30 minutes.
My goal just moved from an outcome focused goal to an input focused goal.
The same with finishing a project. Instead of, I want to finish this project by March. My new goal is work on said project for ten minutes each day.
Last year I didn’t do this with a goal of reading the Bible in a year and I lost momentum in March. This year I want to try and tackle that again. But this time my input goal is to spend ten minutes reading the Bible everyday.
Doing it this way might take you longer to lose ten pounds or finish that project, but remember, progress collects compound interest over time.
This shift has been a game-changing approach for me and is a one thing I coach women like you in more detail in my coaching programs.
If you are ready to achieve your goals and want more info about my coaching programs—e mail me at sarah@sarahjohnson.co