Most people set goals the way they think they’re supposed to. They follow traditional advice, pick a number, aim high, and chase a finish line that might not even matter to them. Then they wonder why they lose motivation, or don’t have enough belief in themselves to make the sacrifices needed to achieve them. Many times after a few failed attempts, they give up on goal setting altogether.
The problem isn’t with the goal itself—it’s that the goal isn’t connected to anything deeper. It’s just floating out there with no roots, no meaning, and no personal connection. When goals aren’t built on your strengths, values, and passions, they feel like obligations rather than inspirations.
A Goal That Actually Matters
Recently, I was working with a Masters of Success Mastermind member on her #1 goal for 2025. She’s one of the kindest, most loving people I’ve met. Her strengths? Fairness, gratitude, and connection. Her values? Authenticity and selflessness. Her passion? People—helping them, connecting with them, and making their lives a little better.
But she had set a monetary goal, and she couldn’t connect to it emotionally. It felt forced. And the truth was, money wasn’t what really drove her. She creates embroidered stuffed animals—Messengers from the Heart—designed to bring comfort and healing.
So she reframed her goal. Instead of focusing on a dollar amount, we looked at how many people she could reach while hitting that financial target. That one shift changed everything. The goal can help drive her to reach out to grief counselors, setting up local playdates for underprivileged kids, and creating “pay it forward” programs where customers could buy one for someone they didn’t even know.
She still has the same revenue goal, but now it’s fueled by something bigger—her reason.
The Difference Between Setting Goals and Getting Goals
Setting a goal is easy. We all do it when we have a New Year’s Resolution or we create an intention for improving ourselves. Getting the goal or actually achieving it is where the real work happens. We have talked in this blog, on many Small Business Saturdays Episodes and in the Entrepreneur’s Success Hub and the difference between a goal-setter and a goal-getter. The biggest difference that ties it all together – Alignment.
A goal that aligns with your strengths, values, and passions will feel natural to pursue. You won’t have to force yourself to stay motivated. Your energy will pull you toward it because it’s connected to who you are.
A goal that isn’t aligned? It’s a constant uphill battle. It will feel like something you “have” to do, rather than something you want to do.
This is why people burn out on their goals. They set numbers and targets that don’t match their natural strengths or true desires. And when the work gets hard (because it always does), they have no emotional reason to push through.
Rewriting Your Goals
Look at your current business goals. Do they feel exciting? Do they make sense based on who you are and what you truly want? If not, it’s time to rewrite them.
- Shift from numbers to impact. Instead of saying, “I want to make $100,000 this year,” ask, “How many people do I need to serve to reach that number?” It doesn’t always work this way, but I will say, a piece of advice from my 13-year-old son stood out in this regard. He said to me, “Dad, money doesn’t have a soul.” If that is true (because we believe everything on YouTube) then monetary goals might not be the drivers we think they are.
- Turn obstacles into opportunities. If a goal feels overwhelming, look at where it connects to your strengths. Can you approach it differently to make it feel more natural?
- Make your goal a mission. When your goal is tied to something bigger than yourself, it becomes much harder to give up on.
A goal that’s rooted in your reason isn’t just a goal—it’s a calling.
Next week, we’ll dive into the next section of the FUNdamental Formula—Marketing Foundation. Utilizing your SVPs to redefine your brand, identify your ideal customers and determine the messaging that will resonate with them. Stay tuned!