Setting and achieving goals can be the key to Dopamine City. It feels awesome!

But the journey and destination aren’t always amazing...

Join me in Yosemite National Park for a minute. We’re here to hike the famous Yosemite Falls Trail. A big storm is rolling in, but we do it anyway. Cuz we’re badasses and we said we would. We celebrate at the summit until the sky turns black, then we speed-hobble down the slippery, rapidly-flooding trail as rocks fall from above.

This is a true story 😱

And a perfect illustration of why it’s not always in our best interest to doggedly pursue our goals.

Yes, goals help us articulate where we’re going and why

Yes, goals keep us focused and motivated

Yes, goals inform the strategic steps we take

But goals can lead us astray, if left uninspected

So how do you get all that goal goodness (clarity! focus! motivation! strategy! progress!) without a rock falling on your head?

✨ Values
​Identify what’s most important to you. Underneath all of our actions, thoughts, and feelings are core things that motivate us. I made you a values worksheet to help you get clear on yours!

✨ Translation
​Goals are simply an effort at translating your values in the real world. For example, if you value creativity, your goal may be to pivot into a creative field, create in your current job, or carve out time for non-work creation.

✨ Observation
​You’re going to pick up a ton of data as you pursue your goal. Change can bring up big feelings. Check in regularly: How is this change honoring (or conflicting with) my values?

✨ Learning
​We may think we want something, only to realize the grass isn’t greener. Or you hop the fence and an exciting, new path opens up. What’s the journey and destination really like?

✨ Tripwire
​Set a date to reassess your goal based on everything you’ve observed and learned. Make sure it’s serving you and your values, and adjust accordingly, or keep marching forward!

I’m always psyched when my clients thoughtfully, lovingly refine their career change goals. Here are some recent examples:

😍 M is a creative powerhouse. She wanted to quit her draining 9-5 and go all in on her Interior Design biz ASAP. However, she needed the paycheck (as most of us do!), so the goal shifted to balancing her work and creative identities. Now she’s masterfully setting boundaries at work, and intentionally building her clientbase and portfolio.

😍 T was hell-bent on getting a promotion and pay raise to ensure his value was recognized at his company. He got it (duh, he’s great at what he does). But he still felt empty, and this nagging feeling about his value lingered. The goal shifted to working on projects that inspire him—where he’s collaborating with interesting people and making an impact.

😍 Q wanted to spend more quality, joyful time with her new kid. Her current job is not enabling her to do that consistently, so we got clear on what needed to change and the strategy to get there. Recently, Q and her partner decided to move out of the big city to provide a better life for their growing family. So we’re shifting the career goal (potentially scaling back), while still staying grounded in the original desire to show up for her family.

Changing a goal is not giving up or failing. It’s a strategic act of love. So celebrate your new north star, and each intentional step forward.

Feeling motivated to make a change in your career? The Career Change Collective is a group coaching program designed to help you get clear on your goals and take confident, intentional steps forward. Apply to join or book a quick chat with me if you’re interested in learning more about how this group can support you 💪

Onward!
Grace

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